


A Reason to Fight

by Sehun_x_Baek



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Action, Alternate Universe - High School, Angst, Baekhyun is a pervert, Baekhyun is a prince, Fluff, Happy Ending, M/M, Mecha, Minor Character Death, Modern Royalty, Romance, Science Fiction, SeBaek with guns is my kink, Sehun is kick ass, Slow Burn, Smut, There is a lot of smut later, There is a ton of fluff, Violence, War, secret agents
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-05
Updated: 2019-09-13
Packaged: 2020-01-05 09:33:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 35
Words: 139,518
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18363329
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sehun_x_Baek/pseuds/Sehun_x_Baek
Summary: Oh Sehun was a perfect soldier who knew nothing of life besides the hardships of war. It wasn't until Byun Baekhyun appeared that Sehun was finally exposed to the more beautiful things in life...but would he ever understand love?





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone ^_^ I’m finally getting around to sharing this fic on AO3. This is in fact the first Sebaek fic I ever wrote, so please be aware that the writing isn’t super on par with my current level (at least that’s how I feel.)
> 
> When I first posted this story on AFF, it definitely wasn’t very popular. It had very few readers, and honestly I can understand why. I know this genre isn’t a huge favorite, but aside from that, the story takes a little while to pick up. 
> 
> However, I have had many of my readers tell me that this is their favorite story I have ever written, and still remains their favorite to this day. After taking multiple polls, this story has won by a landslide against my other works, including some of my bigger hits like “In the Heat of the Moment.”
> 
> I feel like I’m bragging right now lol, but honestly I’m just trying to let you know you have to give this story a chance for a while before it starts getting more interesting. Personally, this is my favorite story I’ve written as well. It’s my baby T^T
> 
> I have been reluctant to share it on here though, because I feel like I needed to gain some trust on here first ha ha. I know it might be kind of a stretch for some of you, but please bear with me!
> 
> This story is an adaptation of the anime/manga called Gundam Wing. There are scenes, plot elements, and characters that are similar, but overall a lot has been changed. I really like the general concept of this story, and I wanted to use it as a backbone, but there isn’t really any romance in the original. That’s where one of the big changes happens, of course I added in SeBaek romance.
> 
> But keep in mind, It is a slow burn romance. So if you find the fighting and stuff to be boring, just remember that it’s necessary to set the correct mood, and there will be plenty of Sebaek happening later on (with occasional Chansoo). I tried my best to cut out as much boring military mumbo jumbo as I could.
> 
> As for the character death, there will be Exo members who die in this story. For SeBaek fans though, this does have a happy ending, so don’t freak out.
> 
> P.S.  
> For those of you unfamiliar with mecha anime, Mobile Suits are like giant humanoid robot things piloted by humans.

Since the beginning of humanity, we have stared up at the stars and contemplated the mysteries of outer space. It was just a dream at first, but with further advancement in technology, humans finally made their way into the vast expanse surrounding the Earth.

With great hope and plans for a brighter future, colonies were built to start a new life in space. These colonies were meant to be a superior to the Earth, with controlled living environments and lack of natural disasters. It was another step in prolonging the existence of mankind.

However, despite the reason the colonies were created, history is destined to repeat itself. Humans cannot exist without war.

OZ, a strong military organization, seized control of the colonies and any nation on Earth who opposed their rule. In response to this tyranny, rebel citizens of the colonies built four of the most advanced mobile suits ever designed, known as Exo Suits. Made from Exordium alloy, they were nearly invincible.

Disguising the Exo Suits as shooting stars, they were sent to Earth to attack OZ instillations around the globe and destroy their headquarters. It was called Operation Meteor.

The secrecy of their mission was so well kept that not even the Exo Suit Pilots were aware of each other’s existence. Independently, the four pilots made their way to Earth.


	2. The Shooting Stars

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am honestly cringing as I look over this first chapter again. I promise it gets better lol. Thanks so much for all the kudos so far! I'm so surprised!

Sehun strapped himself into the seat of his spacecraft. His face was carrying a blank expression, obviously not nervous about the mission he was about to endeavor, which was surprising for a person of such a young age. Once he was properly adjusted into his seat, a voice suddenly began speaking to him through his com link.

His supervisor Dr. J was standing nearby watching him. He was an elderly man, hunched over and supporting himself with a cane.

“It’s finally time for Operation Meteor.”

Sehun grasped onto his controls, “This isn’t the true Operation Meter though.”

“No, it’s not. This is the operation you chose. I’d warn you to be careful, but I know you won’t. Just remember, this is going to be a lot more difficult than the original operation. There is a high probability of failure.”

“Life comes cheap, especially mine.” Sehun answered in a monotone voice.

Dr. J didn’t seem affected by Sehun’s heavy words, he continued speaking without even a slight change in his expression, “I’ll contact you with targets and enemy information as necessary.”

“Roger.”

“Carry out the rest on your own.”

“Understood.”

“As for a code name, you’ll be going by the name Wu Shi Xun.”

Sehun nodded, “Mm.”  
  
  


—————————

  
  
  
“Lieutenant Jongdae, surveillance is reporting a meteorite.”

Jongdae was busy reading a report on his clip board, he sat with his legs crossed, looking rather stately dressed in his military uniform. He looked up at the copilot with an amused laugh.

“Figures, the surveillance team is practically blind. Do they really think a meteorite would ride the wave course to enter the Earth’s atmosphere?”

“So, it’s just as OZ Headquarters told us.”

“That’s right. It’s Operation Meteor for certain; there’s no doubt about it. How many of them can this carrier catch up with?”

The pilot began plotting out the projected landing points for the objects on his map, “Just one; the one headed for Eastern Eurasia.”

“One is fine. Go after it.”  
  
  


—————————

  
  
  
Sehun typed into his controls, making preparations for his final approach to Earth. His spacecraft was hovering above the large blue planet, looking like a tiny spec in comparison.

“All areas functioning. Will commence operations in seven minutes.”

Suddenly an alarm sounded and Sehun checked his proximity monitor. An OZ Supersonic Jet was nearing his position.

“Earth’s assault carrier?”

Jongdae sat up out of his command chair to get a better look at the monitor.

“We’ve caught up. I’ll bring it up on screen.”

Jongdae smirked, “Just as I thought. That’s no meteorite.”

The copilot suddenly interjected, “He’s entered the atmosphere. We’ll follow.”

Sehun glared at at his monitor, “Dammit, OZ is already onto me.”

Sehun began typing into his controls and made some adjustments to his course and heading.

Jongdae stared at the monitor with a confused expression, “Is he trying to commit suicide?”

The copilot let out a small laugh, “He must think the only way to keep this a secret is to destroy the evidence.”

The pilot carefully analyzed Sehun’s movements, “But the capsule is increasing speed. He’s trying to break away!”

“How could he, there’s no way he could survive the heat!”

Jongdae stared down at the monitor, his eyes full of newfound interest, “Not necessarily…Obviously our enemies are very technologically advanced.”

Suddenly, as they were carefully watching the monitor, Sehun shed his reentry capsule and revealed a strange flying aircraft. They stared it curiously.

“Lieutenant, what is that?”

Jongdae paused, “The enemy’s new weapon.”

“We’ve reached flight altitude. We can proceed to attack.” The pilot interrupted.

Jongdae turned to face him, “Shoot him down!”

In accordance with Jondae’s orders, the ship began firing on Sehun’s spacecraft, but Sehun easily evaded their attack. Sehun glanced over at his monitor momentarily when he heard a beeping sound. He paused as he read a message from his superiors.

“Alter mission? …That craft is carrying OZ mobile suits.”

Sehun started typing and brought up the statistics on Jongdae’s ship. 

“Judging by it’s speed, there’s probably three suits on board.”

Sehun altered his course once more to turn back towards the OZ craft, “Roger that, mission accepted. I’ll shoot it down.”

Jongdae and his crew watched as Sehun headed back in their direction.

“Enemy fighter has turned around and is headed straight for us!”

“Is the Leo ready to use?” Jongdae asked as he turned to walk towards the door.

“Yes.”

“If it’s a fight he wants, I should at least give him my best. Join me in the Aries suits.”

Jongdae left the flight deck, moving towards the cargo hold where the mobile suits were stored. As his Leo deployed from the jet, his proximity alarms immediately began to sound.

“What?! He’s above!”

Jongdae maneuvered his suit and fired at Sehun twice. Inside Sehun’s cockpit, alarms started sounding and it shuddered with impact.

“Left drive system malfunctioning…He’s not an average pilot.”

Jongdae let out a confident laugh, “That was far too easy.”

Two Aries suits caught up to Jongdae and established radio contact with him. Jongdae began speaking into his COM link.

“We’ll head after him with the carrier and capture him on the ground. This is our chance to find out the purpose of Operation Meteor.”

“What if he self-detonates?”

“He’s made it all the way to Earth; he’s not going to commit suicide before setting foot on it.”

Suddenly Sehun’s spacecraft transformed into a fighting mobile suit. The pilots watched in shock.

“Lieutenant Jongdae, what kind of machine is that?!”

Jongdae did not answer them, instead he thought deeply to himself, _“…I thought only OZ had the technology to create mobile suits.”_

The Aries fired upon Sehun’s suit, but there were no discernible results. Jongdae stayed back as he watched the attack.

“…He’s intense.”

Sehun fired at the Aries suits, vaporizing them with a single shot from his cannon. Then Sehun turned his attention back to his monitors.

“One more to go.”

Jongdae’s expression hardened as he dived towards the Exo Suit. In an unexpected move, Jongdae wrapped his mobile suit around Sehun’s, immobilizing it for a plunge into the ocean. Jongdae opened his cockpit hatch and leapt free of the tangled suits, waiting until he was clear before he released his parachute.

The carrier communicated to him via a device Jongdae was wearing.

“Lieutenant Jongdae, are you all right?”

“Yes, sorry to worry you. I did everything I could.”

“We analyzed the data from the combat. Judging by the strength of the mobile suit, it could only be made of Exordium alloy.”

Jongdae visibly expressed his surprise, “Exordium alloy?”

He looked down and watched as Sehun’s suit and the Leo fell into the ocean.

“The mobile suit might be undamaged, but that reckless pilot won’t have survived.”

“Lieutenant, the Marina Mother Ship is offering to bring up the unregistered mobile suit.”

“Let them do as they wish. Tell them it sank in the G.A.P. point.”

“Yes, sir.”  
  
  


—————————

  
  
  
In the peaceful atmosphere of the St.Gabriel Institute, the campus was brimming with students leaving school for that day. A young boy exited the building, a warm smile covering his face. His features were exceptionally attractive, with small beautiful eyes, pink lips that had an irresistibly adorable shape, and a perfect nose. His hair was soft and black, it swept over his forehead and bounced as he walked. Compared to the other students, he was rather small, but regardless of his short stature, he still managed to turn heads. A group of girls approached him, giggling at the thought of talking to him.

“We’ll see you tomorrow Prince Bian!”

Baekhyun twitched a little. Despite trying his best to hide his true identity, it seemed he couldn’t escape his own Princely image.

“Please, there’s no need to call me that, I’m just a normal guy.”

“But you’re not normal at all Bian, you’re like a Prince!”

Baekhyun nervously laughed.

“We’ve finished preparations for your birthday! Everything will be perfect!”

Baekhyun never asked anyone to throw him a party, but the girls of this prestigious school insisted on throwing him one. He was curious to see what they had thrown together, but he imagined it wasn’t going to be too different than the distinguished parties his family threw for him as a child.

“Thanks everyone.”

The girls squealed as Baekhyun smiled at them. Even his smile was perfect, bright and full of contagious joy. He waved goodbye as he continued walking, leaving the swooning girls to admire him from afar.

Baekhyun strolled down the road and stared up at the trees. He stopped for a moment and took a deep breath, closing his eyes to concentrate on the smell.

_“Even the air is different here…I can feel the wind…and the sun on my face…The colonies are no where near a replacement for the Earth.”_

Once he continued to walk, he spotted the nearby ocean and decided to walk towards it. The sun was setting and it was reflecting the vibrant hues of the sky onto the water. It was a breathtaking sight to Baekhyun, he took out his phone to take a few pictures. He walked along the quiet beach by himself, watching the waves as they crashed onto the shore. 

After admiring the sea for a long while, he took a piece of paper out of his pocket, along with a pen. Holding the piece of paper carefully in his hand, he crossed off the words “Walk on the beach.”

As he put the paper back into his pocket, he stared out at the ocean again with a sad expression on his face. 

_“…I should be happy. I was so excited to come here…But crossing this list off all by myself…It’s so lonely.”_

Suddenly, the ground darkened with a shadow and Baekhyun looked up to see an aircraft passing overhead. He stared at it curiously.

_“…A military plane.”_

Baekhyun turned his head to watch the plane, and then suddenly noticed a body washed up on the beach nearby. Baekhyun ran over to it and cautiously approached the body.

_“A military uniform? He’s a soldier.”_

The man groaned and moved slightly. Baekhyun took out his phone to call for help. After notifying emergency services, Baekhyun kneeled down in the sand to remove the helmet from the man’s spacesuit. Baekhyun was surprised to see a young face.

_“He’s my age…”_

Baekhyun blushed as he stared at him, he was taken with how attractive he was. Sehun’s dark hair gently fell onto his brow, making a gentle contrast to his sharp masculine features. Baekhyun noticed his strong jaw line in particular. Biting his lip, Baekhyun took out his phone again to take a picture of Sehun’s face. 

Sehun groaned again and awakened, his eyes slowly opening to reveal their intensity. Looking over at Baekhyun he suddenly became aware of his surroundings. He quickly staggered to his feet and held one of his hands in front of his face to shield it from Baekhyun’s view.

Baekhyun looked up at him curiously, disappointed that Sehun was now covering his face, “Try not to move; the ambulance is almost here.”

“Did you see?”

Baekhyun tilted his head, “See what?”

Suddenly the ambulance pulled up near a staircase located on the beach. The personnel spotted them and pointed towards them.

“They’re down there!”

Sehun flicked open a panel on his spacesuit using his thumb, then he pressed a red button which set off an explosive charge in his suit that lifted him off his feet slightly. Sehun clenched his teeth, it didn’t have the results he expected. He paused before looking over at the ambulance. He suddenly bolted towards the stairs at the approaching ambulance personnel, knocking the first of them off of the stairs in his race to the only available transportation, the ambulance.

Baekhyun watched in curious awe as Sehun fought and and easily overcame the ambulance personnel, including the driver. As soon as he gained control over the vehicle, Sehun sped off.

“Hey! Stop!” The personnel yelled after him.

Baekhyun ran to the top of the stairs just in time to see the ambulance drive away. He stood and watched as the lights of the vehicle and the sound of the sirens faded into the distance.  
  
  


—————————

  
  
  
Kim Junmyeon was busy watching an opera performance from his private viewing box while his valet stood watch. Jongdae was holding a conversation with Junmyeon via a small monitor on the table in front of him.

“You’re saying that three of your mobile suits were shot down?”

“Yes, sir.” Jongdae replied nervously.

Junmyeon set aside his opera glasses and turned his full attention to the conversation.

“It’s unlike you to be so careless.”

“We were up against a mobile suit made of Exordium Alloy.”

Junmyeon’s brow crinkled, “You’re joking.”

“It’s true. Just imagine if it was made by the colonies.”

Junmyeon paused, “OZ’s surveillance was far from being sufficient.”

“The Marina is on their way to gather the evidence.”

“All right, leave that business to my men. I’ll send in my specialists in the undersea searches, and then you can take it from there, Jongdae.”

“Roger.”  
  
  


—————————

  
  
  
“So, what do you think Chanyeol? Is it as amazing as you hoped?” A man laughed as he chewed on a large piece of meat.

“Even better.” Chanyeol smiled as he looked over at his fellow pirates.

They were sitting together in a large tent, looking out at the expansive desert surrounding them. The pirates were busy eating the large feast displayed in front of them, but Chanyeol was too preoccupied staring out at the scenery to touch his meal.

“So, we’re still going to steal some loot while we’re here, right boss?”

Chanyeol laughed, “Don’t worry, we’ll steal plenty.”  
  
  


—————————

  
  
  
“Doctor Do, this is your new assistant.”

She turned around and smiled as she faced the new employee, “It’s nice to meet you, I’m Do Hyang Ki.”

The boy did not smile in return, but he stared at her deeply before responding, “Du Qing Zhu.”

“You’ve come at an unfortunate time, this hospital was just recently taken over by OZ.”

“I’m aware.”

Hyang Ki smiled, “You seem so familiar, have we met before?”

Kyungsoo remained silent, continuing to stare at her deeply, “Possibly.”  
  
  


—————————

  
  
  
Baekhyun was sitting in a large classroom auditorium, staring out the window at the leaves as they gently blew in the wind. Students were all sitting and chatting with each other as they waited for the class to begin. Eventually, the door to the auditorium opened, and the teacher entered followed by a male student. The class immediately began commenting on the new student, Baekhyun overheard them and looked over to see Sehun’s face.

_“That’s him!”_

The teacher stood at the podium and Sehun went to stand next to her. Sehun scanned the students until his eyes landed on Baekhyun. Baekhyun’s heart started pounding as he stared at him.

_“He’s looking at me…”_

“Quiet please! I’d like to introduce a new student to our class.”

Sehun stared at the class with a blank expression and spoke in a monotone voice, “My name is Wu Shi Xun. It’s a pleasure.”

Baekhyun stared at him, repeating the name in his mind, “Shi Xun…”

“Wu, why don’t you sit next to Bian. If you have any questions, he will be glad to help you.”

Baekhyun smiled and raised his arm so Sehun would know who the teacher was referring to. Sehun walked up the steps and took a seat near Baekhyun, but he kept his eyes closed and seemed to ignore his presence. In contrast, Baekhyun was openly friendly and curious. He smiled as he whispered to him.

“Nice to see you again, Wu.”

Sehun did not answer, he kept his eyes forward as the class began. Baekhyun couldn’t help but continuing to stare at him, there were so many questions he wanted to ask.

After class Baekhyun followed him. Sehun stepped outside, he didn’t seem to be in any hurry. Baekhyun cautiously approached him, still smiling happily at him. 

“Hi! I was surprised to see you. I guess we really are the same age.”

Sehun looked over at him, but he remained silent.

“…So, that was pretty crazy the other day…But don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone.”

Again, Sehun made no answer. Baekhyun nervously laughed. He reached inside his jacket and pulled out an envelope. He reached out his hand to give it to Sehun, and Sehun took it from him.

“Anyway, I wanted to invite you to my birthday party. It’s tomorrow. Maybe we can talk more then?”

Sehun abruptly tore the invitation in half without opening the letter. Baekhyun’s eyes widened as he watched him. The halves of the letter dropped to the ground, and a gust of wind blew them away. Baekhyun turned from facing Sehun to watch the letter dance along the ground. Sehun suddenly shoved Baekhyun against the wall, trapping him. In a low threatening voice, Sehun spoke to him as he stared into Baekhyun’s eyes.

“I will kill you.”

Again, Baekhyun’s eyes widened in shock. Sehun started to walk away from Baekhyun, leaving him standing in the increasing wind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for making it this far if you were dedicated enough to read it to this ending note. Hopefully you see some potential for this story. 
> 
> Just as a note, these first few chapters follow the original plot of Gundam Wing pretty closely, but the more the story goes on, the farther from the original it gets. However, the character backgrounds are different than the original, it’s just the plot really that’s the same.
> 
> Also, everyone will be using their Chinese names as code names. Here is a little guideline in case you’re lost.
> 
> Oh Sehun- Wu Shi Xun  
> Byun Baekhyun- Bian Boxian  
> Park Chanyeol- Piao Can Lie  
> Do Kyungsoo- Du Qing Zhu
> 
> Lastly, in case you’re totally lost, let me re-explain some things.
> 
> Operation Meteor- Plan made by the rebels from the colonies. It used to be different, we don’t know what the original plan was right now.  
> OZ- Evil bad guys  
> Mobile Suit- A giant humanoid robot thing piloted by humans.


	3. Happy Birthday Bian

Baekhyun and the rest of his class were all quietly sitting on their horses in the courtyard, waiting for the official start of class. Baekhyun noticed that Sehun was absent.

“Let’s begin.” The teacher started as Baekhyun looked around, “Today we’ll practice doing some new exercises, and I’ll explain the main points.”

_“Where is he?”_ Baekhyun anxiously wondered to himself.

Once class began, and Baekhyun was able to slip away, he wandered the school grounds looking for Sehun.

The white horse Sehun should have been riding was grazing calmly at the bottom of a bank of tall windows. Above the abandoned horse, inside an open window on the third floor, Sehun was in the room typing on one of two computers at the desk, talking quietly to himself as he worked.

“Deep water torpedoes will definitely destroy it. Guiding functions installed. Stored in the Marina weapons warehouse…that’s not far.” Sehun continued typing, “Now, time to take care of some minor revisions.”

Baekhyun rode past the windows and noticed Sehun’s horse. He looked up and spotted the open window on the third floor. After dismounting his horse, Baekhyun started climbing a nearby tree. He sat down on a branch, making sure to keep himself out of sight. Baekhyun took the piece of paper out of his pocket and crossed off “Climb a tree.”

Baekhyun looked inside the window to watch Sehun, he was close enough that he was able to hear the words Sehun was quietly mumbling to himself.

Sehun inserted a small thumb drive into the computer and then continued typing.

“Wu Shi Xun. Tuition: Cleared. Boarding expenses: Cleared. Admission Fees: Cleared. Meal expenses: Cleared. Parent’s financial background: No problem.”

Baekhyun watched him in surprise, _“…He hacked the school system…”_

Sehun continued typing and suddenly brought up Baekhyun’s school records, “…Bian Boxian.”

Baekhyun’s eyes widened in surprise. He watched as Sehun stared at the screen for a long moment, looking at Baekhyun’s picture. Sehun suddenly rose from his seat and formed the shape of a gun with his hand, pointing it at the screen. Sehun’s brow crinkled as he hesitated, then he lowered his hand. Baekhyun watched him curiously as he continued looking at Baekhyun’s picture.

_“…He could have killed me whenever he wanted to…What is he waiting for?”_   
  
  


——————

 

Baekhyun made his way to his dorm room after school, still pondering possible reasons why Sehun hadn’t tried to kill him yet. It was rather nerve racking. He hardly noticed his fan club approach him.

“Bian, we’ll see you tonight at your party!”

Baekhyun didn’t respond, too absorbed in his own thoughts.

“…Bian?”

“Bian.” Another girl added, noticing his lack of attention.

“Mm?” Baekhyun answered suddenly snapping out of his trance.

“Bian, what’s wrong?”

“It’s your birthday, you should be happy.” Yet another girl interjected with concern.

“Cheer up Bian, show us your beautiful smile!”

Baekhyun gave them a weak smile, “Thank you, everyone.”

As Baekhyun walked off the girls continued watching him in concern.  
  
  


——————

 

Sehun clung tightly onto the undercarriage of a large truck, just inches above the roadway. It was currently speeding on the highway, the wind was aggressively tossing Sehun’s hair and clothing, but his face showed no sign of strain from this task. As it continued speeding along, Sehun suddenly dropped himself from the truck, rolled to the side of the highway, and got up to run off in the direction of the Marina Warehouse.

After breaking the lock on the warehouse door, Sehun started working underneath some torpedoes, busying himself with rewiring the detonators.

_“If some of these hit the Exo Suit directly, that will trigger the self-destruction system. I have to destroy it before it falls into OZ’s hands.”_   
  
  


——————

 

Baekhyun entered the courtyard busy with the birthday party his fellow students had prepared for him. The courtyard was surrounded by buildings on three sides, and decorated with six or more round tables of hors d’ oeuvres set out for guests. People were mingling and wandering under the garlands strung between the lanterns positioned in the yard. The attendees suddenly noticed Baekhyun coming down a staircase to enter the party. He was dressed in a nice suit that had a bit of ruffles around his collar and a bow tied around his neck. The girls began conversing with each other with comments about Baekhyun’s appearance.

“There he is!”

“Oh my! How handsome!!”

Baekhyun smiled at everyone gracefully, “Thank you all for arranging this party for me.”

Baekhyun was grateful, but he was right in assuming this party would be no different than the grandeur celebrations he was so used to from his childhood. Others might have found it silly, but he had always wanted to experience a low key birthday party, one with balloons, streamers, and a cake with colorful frosting.

“Happy Birthday!!”

“Happy Birthday Bian!!”

“Everyone, thank you very much.”  
  
  


——————

 

“I’m late for Bian’s party!”

A very irritated member of Baekhyun’s fan club was still on the road. She sat in the back of her limo holding onto a bouquet of flowers. Suddenly, she was thrown against the window as her driver had to swerve out of the way of an ambulance that nearly ran them off the road. Aghast, she looked out the window.

“…Is that..Wu Shi Xun?”

The girl analyzed the ambulance driver’s face, watching as he maintained an obsessive grip on the steering wheel. Now with the torpedoes loaded in the back of his ambulance, Sehun drove to his launch point.  
  
  


——————

 

Baekhyun sat at the table staring at his birthday cake, surrounded by his fan club members. It was overly flourished with elaborate decorations, it must have cost his fellow students a small fortune. Baekhyun never shared his disappointment however, everyone could only see a bright smile on his face.

Suddenly the girl from the limo that was late for Baekhyun’s party approached the table.

“Oh good, I didn’t miss the main event! Happy Birthday Bian!”

“Thank you.”

Baekhyun watched as the girl looked around at the party, analyzing the crowd, “So, Wu is not here after all? Maybe that really was him then…”

Baekhyun suddenly stood up, “You saw Wu Shi Xun?”

“Yeah, on the Bayside Highway. But, listen to this: he was driving an ambulance! It couldn’t be him.”

_“An ambulance…? It must be him!”_

Baekhyun walked around the table to get closer to the girl, “Which way was the ambulance heading?”

“…I guess it was heading towards the military port…”

Baekhyun suddenly walked away from the girl to start leaving the party.

“Bian, where are you going?”

Baekhyun paused and turned to address everyone, “Everyone, please enjoy the party, I’ll be back later.

The girl with the limo desperately called out to him, “If you’re going to the port I’ll give you a ride.”

The other girls at the party started gathering around him, “We’re coming with you too.”

“NO! I’m going alone.”

Baekhyun paused and collected himself as the attendees of his party gasped in surprise at his sharp tone and abrupt behavior. With a deep breath Baekhyun turned away once more.

“Now, if you’ll excuse me…”  
  
  


——————

 

Underwater near the G.A.P. Exo Suit recovery point, OZ’s specialists were busy trying to locate where the Exo Suit had fallen into the ocean.

“I’ve found the Leo…But there’s no other suit. Where is it? It doesn’t make sense. There is no other metal being detected.”

Suddenly one of the other specialists spotted something shining on the seabed, “There it is! I can see it from here!”

“Great, let’s report it to Lt. Jongdae!”

After establishing a connection with OZ’s submarine control room, Jongdae appeared on the monitor.

“Good work, you’ve found it.”

“Yeah but it’s amazing! There isn’t a single scratch on it!”

Jongdae smirked, “I have to say, our enemies have come up with an impressive machine. But, now it belongs to us.”

“Okay, get the cables and floats ready.”

The underwater suits lift the Wind Exo Suit and launch towards the surface.  
  
  


——————

 

Baekhyun shifted gears as he sped along the highway, making his way towards the military port. He was determined to figure out what exactly Sehun was up to. As he approached the port, he heard the sound of explosives. Baekhyun looked over just in time to see more explosions going off at the base.

_“Wu…What are you up to?”_

Two guards waiting in the control room of a docked submarine were startled by a grenade dropping in their midst.

“What?! Huh?!”

The grenade exploded, and Sehun began loading his missiles onto the deck of the submarine. Baekhyun spotted him and approached him via a nearby gangway.

“Wu!”

Baekhyun walked over to stand just behind him as Sehun halted on loading the torpedoes. Sehun turned to look at him, his expression hardened as he suddenly drew a pistol, leveling it at Baekhyun.

“You know too much!”

Surprisingly, Baekhyun seemed rather calm in the situation, he merely glared back at Sehun. Sehun began to pull the trigger, but suddenly Baekhyun also pulled out a gun. Sehun’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Who are you?”

Baekhyun continued pointing his gun at Sehun, “Are you here to stop OZ?”

An alarm suddenly went off on a small device Sehun was wearing. Sehun looked over at the ocean where something barely discernible as an Exo Suit was moving along the surface of the water.

Sehun used the distraction and leapt from the deck of the ship to the missile rack, which was still hanging from the crane in preparation for loading. Sehun landed on the missiles, straddling the topmost one.

Baekhyun stared out at the ocean, watching the mobile suit move along the water, “An Exo Suit?!”

Sehun paused and looked over at Baekhyun in surprise, _“How does he know that?”_

Sehun punched the timer on the missile, and the unit turned red. The missiles launched, breaking free from the crane. The propulsion jets burned Sehun as they knocked him into the ocean. Baekhyun watched as the missiles headed directly for the Exo Suit.

“Mission…complete.” Sehun uttered in pain before he passed out in the water.

“Wu!” Baekhyun cried once he noticed Sehun floating lifelessly.

Suddenly, a huge underwater explosion caused the water to rise in a flashing dome of light. Baekhyun guarded his face as he watched from the deck of the submarine.

_“He knows about the Exo Suit’s self-destruct system…He must be the pilot of that suit!!”_

Before Baekhyun could even think of helping Sehun, OZ soldiers began to flood the area. Baekhyun looked over at Sehun, he was face down bobbing in the water next to the hull of the ship. Baekhyun painfully started running away, he had no choice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay!~ You made it all the way through chapter 2! Thanks for reading! Again, I thank you for your patience. 
> 
> By the way, in case you were wondering, this was Baekhyun’s 17th birthday. Here are the ages of everyone who has appeared so far:
> 
> Sehun: ?  
> Baekhyun: 17  
> Chanyeol: 17  
> Kyungsoo: 17  
> Junmyeon: 30  
> Jongin: 24  
> Jongdae: 25
> 
>  
> 
> Btw, how often would you guys like updates? Is every day too much? Is once a week too little? I just don't want to overwhelm you guys ha ha.


	4. Flight from the Fiftieth Floor

Sehun laid unconscious on a cross shaped table, his wrists, elbows, and ankles locked in restraints. Many wires were attached to him, making it possible for the doctors watching him from the observation room above to monitor his status. His wounds continued to bleed, dripping onto the table and floor.

“Respiration: 27, Pulse: 57. Body Temperature: 94.1 degrees and rising…”

Sehun awoke and his eyebrows slightly twitched, the medical technician watching him noticed.

“Huh?”

Hyang Ki leaned forward to look at the monitor, “What is it?”

“I thought he moved.”

Hyang Ki paused, glancing down at Sehun through their observation window, “Keep monitoring him.”

Sehun remained still, but he slightly opened his eyes to look at his surroundings.

_“I’ve been captured. This is the treatment room on the fiftieth floor of the OZ Military number three medical building in the South G.A.P. area.”_   
  
  


——————

 

Junmyeon sat with his hands interlocked on his desk, Colonel Jongin standing next to him. Surrounding them on either side of the desk, attached to the wall, were long banners bearing the symbol of OZ.

They were busy watching a monitor placed in front of them. On the screen, a man saluted Junmyeon before holding up a small usb drive.

“We found this on the boy. It’s protected with high level encoding. It won’t take an access code.”

Jongin looked down at the piece of hardware with a doubtful expression, “I thought OZ’s main computer was able to open any file.”

Junmyeon raised his hand to silence Jongin, “Keep trying. Obviously it must contain vital information. I want all our top men on this.”

“Yes sir.”

Junmyeon pressed a button on the monitor to turn it off.

“Do you think he is one of the secret agents of the rebels?” Jongin asked after a short pause.

“It’s too early for that kind of conclusion.”

Junmyeon hit another button on the monitor and suddenly Doctor Hyang Ki appeared on the screen.

“Give me the report on the boy you found at the G.A.P base.”

“He’s in excellent physical condition, and although he has over 200 bruises and broken bones, his only visible injury is the burn on his arm. It’s obvious he’s not just any ordinary kid.”

“Should we use truth serum?” Jongin asked with a dark look in his eyes.

“No! I don’t want to use such a strong drug on a boy that age.”

Junmyeon raised his hand again, “Let us wait until he has regained consciousness. If he refuses to talk, then we will discuss our options further.”

Doctor Hyang Ki made a rather upset expression, “Drugs like that may permanently damage his brain functions! His brain is still developing, you should never-” 

“How dare you! You are under OZ’s control now! You are to follow orders!” Jongin yelled as he harshly placed his palm on the desk.

Once again Junmyeon raised his hand, “Doctor, please update me immediately of any changes. That will be all.”  
  
  


——————

 

Baekhyun leaned himself against the wall inside a phone booth, holding the phone close to his face. He was dressed in some trendy street clothes, which was a large contrast to his usual polished image at school.

He was wearing a large baggy hoodie that fell to his mid thigh, accompanied by tight black pants and laced up boots. A long earring was dangling from one of his ears, and his eyes were outlined with eyeliner. On his back was a large backpack, and he was holding onto a stick like device, which looked like a propeller. 

“Yeah, that will do. Also the car is broken, so I’d like you to have my lunch ready at the back of the wheat field, if you would. Thanks!”

Speaking in code, Baekhyun communicated to his friend that an Exo Suit would need to be retrieved, and that he would need to picked up on the beach. Baekhyun hung up the phone and looked over at the nearby medical building.

“Now then, it’s time to visit the patient.”  
  
  


——————

 

Inside the monitoring room above Sehun, the medical technician was busying himself looking at his phone, occasionally glancing up to check on the monitors.

Sehun groaned and carefully tried to get loose from his restraints, but he stopped once he suddenly heard a hiss of static from one of the monitors on a nearby piece of equipment. Baekhyun’s face suddenly appeared.

Baekhyun had managed to knock out some of the medical staff, and they were laying on the floor next to him unconscious. Baekhyun smiled as he started to silently talk to Sehun.

“I’m sure you’re a well trained soldier like myself. You must be able to read my lips, right?”

Sehun didn’t make any indication that he understood the words Baekhyun was saying, but his eyes stayed focused on Baekhyun’s mouth, and that was enough for Baekhyun to continue.

“You’re really amazing! You’ve been awake all this time without changing your pulse or breathing pattern…That’s impressive. I’d like to ask you some questions, and in return I’ll help you get out of here.”

Up above in the monitoring room, the door opened and Hyang Ki entered followed by Kyungsoo. The medical technician quickly put away his phone before Hyang Ki could see it.

“Any changes?”

“Nothing to report, Dr. Do.”

Suddenly the room was rocked by an explosion, almost sending Hyang Ki to the floor before Kyungsoo caught her.

“What was that?”

Alarms began sounding in the building and Kyungsoo looked down at the room where they were holding Sehun. Baekhyun was slowly revealed standing in a billowing cloud of smoke at the entrance of a rather large hole that now existed in the side of the room.

Doctors and OZ personnel began running throughout the facility, yelling excitedly as the alarms were sounding loudly and flashing red lights filled the halls. 

“Hurry, before he escapes!”

Baekhyun set his propeller device aside as he kneeled down next to Sehun’s table. He took out his knife as he examined his bindings and tried to determine the best way to free him.

“How do you get these things off?”

Sehun extended a bloody hand to him, and Baekhyun realized he had already forcibly removed one of his hands, causing damage to himself.

“Just give me the knife, I can do it.”

Baekhyun cringed, watching the blood drip off his fingers as he handed Sehun the knife. Sehun sliced his way out of the remaining restraints and quickly hopped off the table.

Baekhyun began to run down the hallway, holding onto his propeller device. Sehun ran next to him, now wearing the backpack Baekhyun was previously wearing.

“This way!” Baekhyun yelled as he threw a grenade at the window.

Sehun and Baekhyun hit the floor and covered their faces while the grenade detonated. Amidst the smoke, Sehun and Baekhyun jumped up and leapt out the window, Baekhyun first and Sehun right behind him.

Baekhyun held up his propeller device, which began to spin and slow down his decent towards the beach. Sehun plummeted head first with his eyes closed towards the rocks below, it didn’t seem like he was going to open the parachute inside his backpack.

Sehun planned on falling to the rocks below, forfeiting his life. He had failed his mission, and his Exo suit had already fallen into enemy hands. In his mind, his life no longer held any importance besides becoming a useful tool for OZ.

“Wu!!”

Upon hearing Baekhyun’s voice however, Sehun suddenly broke out of his trance and opened his eyes. Not really knowing why, he pulled on the strap to activate his parachute.

Baekhyun watched Sehun painfully, “…It’s too late.”

The parachute failed to open completely, and Sehun quickly shed himself from the straps as he got close to the cliff wall that separated the base of the hospital building from the ocean. 

Hyang Ki and Kyungsoo came to the window just in time to see Sehun smack into the cliffs and begin tumbling down the the jagged rocks, until he eventually hit the sand and rolled to a stop. Baekhyun held his breath as he stared at Sehun’s body laying on the beach.

They were all amazed to see Sehun only rest for a short moment before he lifted himself off the ground and awkwardly stood up, only crouching a little bit from the pain of his broken leg.

Hyang Ki hung out the window, keeping her eyes on Sehun, “…He’s still alive. Incredible. I really hope that boy’s not one of our enemies.”

Kyungsoo didn’t respond, his expression hardened as he kept his eyes focused on Sehun.

Baekhyun landed on the beach a short distance from Sehun and immediately ran towards him.

“Dammit! What am I doing!?”

Baekhyun cautiously approached Sehun, analyzing his body in amazement, “…You’re still alive…”

A ship suddenly moved within sight of the beach and Baekhyun turned his head to look at it. Baekhyun quickly went over to Sehun to support him, placing Sehun’s arm over his shoulder to start walking.

“I know it sounds corny, but all you can do right now is trust me.”

Sehun remained silent as Baekhyun lead him towards the pick-up point.  
  
  


——————

 

Baekhyun helped Sehun step onto the salvage ship, and Sehun immediately noticed the Exo Suit sitting on board.

Baekhyun smiled, “That’s my suit. EXO Light.”

Sehun turned his head to look at him, “…So you’re an EXO Pilot.”

Baekhyun paused, staring at him curiously, “Yeah, I thought you knew that. Isn’t that why you were trying to kill me?”

“No, you saw my face.”

Baekhyun nodded, “Oh I see. You're an EXO Pilot too, right? That suit you were trying to destroy is yours?”

Sehun didn’t answer, he just stared back at Baekhyun blankly.

“You’re not trying to go through with Operation Meteor, are you?”

“No. I have chosen my own objective.”

“And what is that?”

“To destroy the OZ bases here on Earth and eliminate OZ officials.”

Baekhyun paused and smiled at him, “Good, it looks like we’re on the same side then. I’m also here to stop OZ.”

Sehun remained silent again, continuing to stare at Baekhyun with his emotionless expression.

“Now that I know you’re not the enemy, let’s get your suit back!”

They were suddenly approached by another man, and Baekhyun smiled at him.

“Hey Yixing, thanks for picking us up!”

“Of course. We should be arriving to the coordinates you gave me in a short while.”

Baekhyun nodded, “I appreciate it.”  
  
  


——————

 

Once they arrived to the location where Sehun’s Exo Suit had last been seen, Baekhyun began to operate the controls to hoist the Exo Suit out of the water.

“There you go.” Baekhyun smiled.

Baekhyun turned to see why Sehun didn’t respond to the recovery of his Exo Suit, and found Sehun laying on his back gripping onto his leg with both his hands, seemingly wrestling with himself. Baekhyun watched him curiously for a moment.

“Are you ok?”

Sehun rolled back and forth on the deck, making painful groaning and grunting sounds as he continued to wrestle with his leg, until at last it made a sickening crunching noise. Baekhyun cringed at the unpleasant sound.

“Ahhh…”

He watched as Sehun leaned himself against the guard rail to begin carefully splinting a wrench to his thigh. 

_“Did he seriously just treat his own broken bone?!”_

Baekhyun watched in awe as Sehun limped over to the recovery tank and peered down at his Exo Suit, which was still partially submerged in the ocean and connected to it’s recovery cables. 

_“He’s really something else…”_


	5. Cherish the Moment

Sehun was perched on top of his Exo Suit’s cockpit hatch while he ran some diagnostic programs on his computer. His suit was laying down on the floor in a large warehouse, next to Baekhyun’s suit. Baekhyun approached him from across the warehouse facility, making his way past his own suit.

“You really should get some rest Wu. Why won’t you let us repair your suit along with mine?”

“I don't want any strangers to touch my suit. It's that simple.”

“But you don't even have replacement parts.”

Baekhyun came closer to Sehun’s suit and climbed up on it. He sat on the neck while he continued his conversation with Sehun.

“I’m amazed you’re even alive right now. I saw the records of your condition at the hospital, and after that you had that terrible fall down the cliff. How did you survive that fall?”

Sehun ignored him and continued concentrating typing on his computer. Baekhyun continued, speaking more to himself than to Sehun.

“And then you just snapped your leg back into place…”

Baekhyun propped his head on his hand and continued thinking to himself, “How is he not in pain right now…?”

“Hey.”

“What is it? Changed your mind?”

“Will you be quiet for a while?”

Baekhyun looked offended, but he didn’t have a chance to answer once a tone sounded from inside Sehun’s cockpit. They both turned their head to look and Sehun hopped down into the cockpit to pull up the monitor screen.

“What is it?”

“A new mission. The enemy will be transporting Exordium alloy... Roger. I will intercept it tomorrow morning.”

“How do you plan to work with your suit in this shape?! That’s impossible!”

Sehun looked up at Baekhyun over the monitor positioned in front of his pilot's seat, only his eyes peeking over the piece of equipment.

“I can handle it.”

Baekhyun was torn between still feeling offended, and the slight arousal he received from Sehun’s confidence. He smiled to himself as he hoped off Sehun’s suit and let him be to continue repairing his suit.

Later that night, once all the mechanics were sleeping, Baekhyun made his way into the warehouse again to check on Sehun. He covered his mouth as he yawned, feeling exhausted himself after a long day of work. Sehun was still continuing his repairs on his damaged suit, concentrating deeply on using a blow torch to weld the metal back together. Baekhyun spent a moment watching him secretly.

_“He’s still working…”_

Baekhyun decided to leave, and returned after a short while with a tray of food. He approached Sehun and placed the tray down next to him on the floor.

“Here, you must be hungry. I made you something.”

Sehun ignored him as he continued using his blow torch. Baekhyun tilted his head as he stared at him, enjoying the view.

“…Good night.”

Baekhyun turned to leave, shutting the warehouse door behind him. Sehun paused once he heard the door shut. He flipped up the shield on his face and looked over at the tray of food, still steaming with warmth.  
  
  


———————————

 

Baekhyun was busy eating some breakfast when he heard the loud sound of an engine starting. He quickly stood up and went running outside to see what was going on. Upon making his way outside, he immediately braced himself against the downdraft of Sehun’s Exo Suit’s engines as he launched into the sky.

“What?!” Baekhyun yelled in astonishment as he watched Sehun fly away, “I don't believe it! He fixed his suit in one night!”

Suddenly Yixing called out to Baekhyun, waving his hand ferociously, “Hey!”

Baekhyun turned to look and see where Yixing was standing, he noticed he was trying to point something out to Baekhyun.

“He got us! He stole the parts from your machine!”

Baekhyun turned to look into the open bay of the warehouse where his own suit laid in pieces, “What?!”  
  
  


———————————

 

“Retreat!” A pilot desperately called out as he was caught in a crossfire with an unidentified mobile suit.

“Calm down! We know there's only one of them. Surround and destroy it!” Commander Bonaparte ordered.

“It's not showing on the radar.”

“Check the observation monitor then.” The commander answered in annoyance.

“….Enemy confirmed!”

The mobile suit turned and fired at the monitor, causing their image to turn to static.

“If you surrender, I will spare your lives.” Kyungsoo’s voice was suddenly heard inside their com link.

“Surrender? Never!”

Suddenly a large group of backup Aries suits arrived, Kyungsoo stared around at them nervously as they surrounded him. Kyungsoo retaliated by using his suit’s knife, slicing through a few Aries and destroying them.

“I knew it, he’s out of firepower.” Bonaparte smiled.

Kyungsoo continued to fight with the Aries, but even he had little faith in this battle. Suddenly, one of the Aries was shot down by another mobile suit. Kyungsoo looked over in surprise and spotted an entire squad of new mobile suits as they continued firing on the Aries.

It didn’t take long before all the Aries suits, along with Bonaparte’s ship, were destroyed. Kyungsoo was left standing alone, facing the new possible threat.

Suddenly, the blast shield doors opened on the mobile suit that looked most similar to his own, and Chanyeol stepped out smiling and waving.

“Hey there!”

Kyungsoo paused for a moment, staring at Chanyeol on his monitor. Kyungsoo eventually opened his cockpit as well to step out.

“That suit of yours, it looks similar to mine.” Kyungsoo responded.

“That’s exactly what I was thinking.” Chanyeol laughed, “We should talk.”

Kyungsoo nodded as Chanyeol’s fellow pirates all started gathering up random pieces of metal scattered around the base. Kyungsoo watched them curiously, it seemed like they were looting the place.  
  
  


———————————

 

After succeeding in his mission to intercept the transportation of Exordium Alloy, Sehun returned to his dorm room at the St. Gabriel Institute. He fell backwards onto the bed, his feet still planted on the floor. He closed his eyes and began to doze off before he was abruptly awoken by a buzzing sound and the light from his computer monitor turning on.

Sehun quickly sat up and went over to the computer to read the message displayed on the screen.

“Target: North Pacific OZ supply base... Mission acknowledged.”  
  
  


———————————

 

Kyungsoo sat comfortably inside Chanyeol’s tent, sipping on a cold beverage as Chanyeol entertained himself with playing his guitar. Outside of the tent, Chanyeol’s pirates were busy repairing the damage caused to Kyungsoo’s suit.

“We are very similar, don't you think? Our mobile suits and our missions. Not to mention our goal to destroy OZ.”

Kyungsoo nodded, “I think there may be even more of us. I came across some unusual people at the hospital I work for.”

“Oh yeah? Well the more the merrier.” Chanyeol strummed a note on his guitar, “So you work at a hospital?”

Kyungsoo took another sip from his drink, “Yes, I come from a family of doctors.”

Chanyeol laughed, “So tell me, how does a doctor justify killing people?”

“I've always fought believing I'd be better off dead than live under OZ's rule. There’s no use rescuing my patients lives if they only continue to live in misery.”

Chanyeol smiled, “I see.”

Kyungsoo paused, “What about you? How did a pack of thieves end up getting involved in this war?”

“Well, to be honest, we were trying to steal the Exo Suit at first, but then they offered to give it to me if I was willing to become it’s pilot. Like you said, I’d rather die than live under OZ’s rule. I was happy to take part in this war, and so are my friends.”

Kyungsoo nodded as one of the pirates approached them.

“Almost done.”

Chanyeol stopped playing to smile at them, “Great!”

“They’re a similar make, so it was easy.”

Kyungsoo looked over at them and bowed a little, “Thank you.”  
  
  


———————————

 

Baekhyun sat at the edge of the warehouse, his feet dangling off the dock as he stared at the moon’s reflection on the water. He began to kick his feet in irritation.

_“…I can’t believe him…He actually ate the food I made him, and then he just robbed me!”_

Yixing approached him from behind, holding onto a clipboard, “It’s fixed.”

Baekhyun smiled as he turned his head to look at him, “Thanks! I appreciate it!”

“No need to thank me, just pay me as usual.”

Baekhyun bounced up with an excited look on his face, “Just in time for the next mission!”  
  
  


———————————

 

Baekhyun arrived at the North Pacific supply base only be greeted by explosions and the majority of the Leo mobile suits already eliminated. The smoke cleared and Baekhyun spotted Sehun’s suit firing at the remaining forces. Baekhyun smiled and established radio contact with him.

“Hi! I guess we’re on the same mission.”

Baekhyun paused waiting, but Sehun remained silent as he continued firing on the mobile suits.

“Aren’t you at least going to say hello to me after stealing my parts?”

Sehun suddenly turned and took aim at Baekhyun, “Target: Lock on.”

Baekhyun’s eyes widened and he quickly lifted his shield, “Hey! I thought we were over this!”

Sehun fired his gun, and Baekhyun cringed as he braced for impact, but nothing happened. He opened his eyes and turned his head to see that Sehun had fired at a mobile suit sneaking up behind him, a beam sword in hand.

“I’ve returned the favor.” Baekhyun heard Sehun’s cold voice finally respond to him.

Sehun launched into the air and took off, leaving Baekhyun on an empty battlefield. Baekhyun couldn’t help but smile as he watched Sehun disappear. Despite all logic and reasons to hate Sehun, Baekhyun was drawn to him. There was something about him that Baekhyun just couldn’t resist. Sehun’s indifferent attitude wasn’t helping either, it only awakened Baekhyun’s mischievous personality even further. He was really enjoying the chase.  
  
  


———————————

 

Students wearing formal attire approached St. Gabriel Institute in excitement, they giggled as they hurried towards the decorated area.

“We’re going to be late for the dance!” A girl laughed as she pulled on her boyfriends hand.

Sehun could hear them outside the window, but he ignored them as he continued typing on the computer.

“Wu Shi Xun’s school record at St. Gabriel's High: all erased. Transfer approval from the Board of Education: OK.”

“Hurry, hurry!” Sehun heard some girls call out.

Sehun walked over to the window to glance outside, and watched as the last remaining students filed into the plaza area. He watched them for a moment before he turned away from the glass to exit the computer room.  
  
  


———————————

 

In the plaza, an orchestra was busy playing on a balcony over a number of small tables. Baekhyun slowly walked throughout the tables, wearing the same ruffled suit and bow from his birthday party. As he made his way through the tables, he overheard a group of students speaking to each other.

“What? Wu Shi Xun is transferring to another school?”

“He's only been here for a month or so, though…”

Baekhyun paused as he looked over at them, and then slowly turned around to make his way out of the party.  
  
  


———————————

 

Sehun was busy packing his guns in a suitcase when the door to his dorm room suddenly opened. Sehun quickly turned around and drew his gun to point it at the person breaking in, but paused once he recognized Baekhyun’s face.

“Where’s your next mission Wu?”

Sehun lowered his gun as he remained silent. Baekhyun smiled and stepped further into the room.

“The school is holding a party right now. Might as well stay and enjoy it. At least until the dance is over.”

“It doesn’t concern me.”

“Doesn’t concern you? Of course it does, this is your life isn’t it?”

Sehun ignored him and turned around to continue packing his things.

“I don’t want to regret it…I know enjoying life like a normal student is impossible…but we should cherish the moments that we can, don’t you agree?”

Sehun paused, his hands stopped in the middle of placing one of his guns into it’s foam casing. Baekhyun smiled and came closer to him, he grabbed onto Sehun’s hand and started pulling him.

“Come on!”  
  
  


———————————

 

Kyungsoo threw his knapsack over his shoulder, Chanyeol watched him from his tent as Kyungsoo made his way towards a large transport truck.

“Be careful out there!” Chanyeol smiled as he waved goodbye. 

Kyungsoo turned to nod at him, “You too.”

“We’ll meet again.”

Kyungsoo continued to walk towards the truck, his Exo suit was hidden under a tarp in the back. Once he drove off, one of the pirates approached Chanyeol with concern.

“Should we be letting him go like this? He knows the location of our hideout, after all.”

“I wouldn't worry. He's not the type to go around telling anyone.”

“But what if he attacks?”

Chanyeol laughed, “I’m telling you, he won’t.”

The pirate paused glaring at him, “You like him, don’t you?”

Chanyeol smirked as he turned to sit down inside the tent, “What are you talking about?”

The pirate sighed, “You better not get us killed.”

“Calm down, everything is fine.” Chanyeol smiled as he picked up his guitar.  
  
  


———————————

 

Baekhyun was surprised that Sehun let him lead him all the way to the plaza without a word, they walked silently together as Baekhyun continued holding onto his hand. The party was in full swing once they arrived there, and many students were already dancing on the dance floor. Some girls noticed Baekhyun enter the room with Sehun and watched them in surprise.

Baekhyun pulled Sehun onto the dance floor with him, and positioned Sehun’s hands to start dancing with him. Sehun did a good job picking up the dance and moving his feet in the proper way.

“See? Isn’t this fun?” Baekhyun smiled as stared up at him.

Sehun carried his usual blank expression as they spun around the floor in silence. Baekhyun was so curious what Sehun was thinking, he wondered why he allowed this to happen. After a little while of dancing, Baekhyun leaned over to rest his head on Sehun’s shoulder. He laughed as he did so, the difference in their height suddenly becoming more obvious to him.

“You’re so tall!”

“You’re short.”

Baekhyun laughed again, “You’re a good dancer, is this your first time?”

“Yes.”

Baekhyun smiled, “Well, I’m honored to be your first dance partner.”

Sehun remained silent like usual and Baekhyun smirked as he looked up at him. He began speaking in a quiet voice.

“I haven’t properly introduced myself yet. My real name is Byun Baekhyun, I hope we can get to know each other.”

Sehun finally looked down to make eye contact with him, “The prince of colony V-08744 of the L2 colony cluster?”

Baekhyun laughed again, “Yes. I’m surprised you know that.”

“According to the records, you went missing in year 189.”

Baekhyun smiled, “Yes, but I don’t really consider myself a Prince. Everyone assumes I’ve been dead for a while now, even my family.”

Baekhyun rested his head back onto Sehun’s shoulder, “…But, how did you know all that about me?”

“I’ve studied all the political figures and royal families of our time. Your story was more interesting than others.”

Baekhyun laughed, “No kidding.”

Sehun suddenly paused dancing, the sound of a large aircraft approaching was heard over the music playing. They both turned to look outside through a window to see a OZ mobile suit cargo jet. Sehun broke away from Baekhyun to start running outside. Baekhyun looked around at the party in concern, the music had stopped and they were all panicked looking out the window.  
  
  


———————————

 

“Launch the operation.” Jongin spoke into the video monitor on the command bridge.

“Roger. Descending now.”

Aries and Leo mobile suits deployed from the carrier jet. However, upon appearing, they were immediately fired upon from below.

“Look out! Enemy attack!”

Sehun raised his buster rifle to fire again, but the mobile suits returned fire, and forced Sehun to step back towards the school buildings behind him. The students began to run in panic.

“It must be a Rebel attack!”

“This way!” Baekhyun yelled, trying his best to properly evacuate the students, but they were in such a panic it was difficult to handle.

Sehun continued firing on the mobile suits, he tore the arm from one of the suits before moving closer and bisecting a Leo with his beam sword. They began to fire missiles at Sehun, but he quickly evaded them.

“What the hell! Its maneuvering capabilities are unreal!” One of the pilots yelled as he watched Sehun, trembling in fear as he quickly realized he would most likely lose his life.

Sehun fired upon him, causing his suit to explode, and then moved on to the other suits to continue fighting.

On the ground, Baekhyun had managed to find a group of girls cowering in a corner.

“Stop crying and get away from here!”

The girl’s looked up at him in fear, sobbing uncontrollably, “O-okay…”

“It will be alright... Now, hurry!”

The girls nodded as they ran off in the direction Baekhyun directed them, after they disappeared inside the school building, Baekhyun was the only one left exposed in the plaza. Sehun noticed Baekhyun standing by himself, he turned to look at him as his camera zoomed in on him, displaying an image of Baekhyun on his screen.

“Byun…”

Baekhyun looked up at Sehun’s suit, realizing he was staring at him, “Wu…?”

The mobile suits began firing another round of missiles at Sehun, one of them hit his suit, but the other missed and hit the school building instead, sending a portion of the building collapsing in Baekhyun’s direction. Baekhyun gasped and held his arms over his head as the building began to crumble above him.

Sehun lunged forward, reacting without thinking, and when the dust settled, he found Baekhyun curled up unharmed under the extended shield of his Exo suit. Baekhyun uncurled himself and looked up at Sehun.

_“…He saved me.”_

The mobile suits landed near Sehun and continued firing on Sehun’s kneeling suit.

“It stopped! Why?”

Sehun remained motionless as they continued firing on him. Inside Sehun’s cockpit, his alarms were sounding, but he sat quietly thinking to himself as he stared at the image of Baekhyun on his monitor.

_“…This feeling…What is this feeling?”_

Baekhyun watched him in concern, “…Wu?”

Sehun shook his head to snap himself out of it, he turned in frustration and thrust the point of his shield through the approaching mobile suit, destroying it. Then he quickly fired upon the other suits, causing them to explode.

“Colonel Jongin, all our suits have been destroyed!”

“Damn! I'll go down there myself!”

“Wait, there’s an incoming call from General Junmyeon!”

A video monitor blinked on and Junmyeon appeared in the window, “Colonel Jongin…The operation has been cancelled. Return to the base immediately.”

“But, General Junmyeon…?!”

“This battle is no longer dignified. Civilians are getting harmed.”

Jongin clenched his teeth, “…Yes sir.”  
  
  


———————————

 

Sehun picked up his buster rifle as Baekhyun shouted out to him. Sehun listened to him as he watched him on his screen.

“Wu, thanks for saving me!”

Sehun stared at Baekhyun for a moment before he turned away. He lifted into the sky, changing his suit back into flight mode to jet off. Baekhyun ran a little as he yelled again.

“Wu!!” 

Sehun’s suit turned into a speck before it disappeared from Baekhyun’s view entirely. Baekhyun stopped running and stared at the sky for a moment before he let out a sigh.

“Damn it…Now I have to find him again.”


	6. A Devious Scheme

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I forgot to update! Here is a double update for you guys! >.<

Jongin entered the room where General Junmyeon was seated at his desk, he saluted to him before speaking.

“As you instructed I leaked the fake information that all of OZ's top officers will be gathering at New Edwards through our military channels.”

“You and I will be there, at least. So it isn't totally false information.”

“Are you using yourself as a bait, sir?”

Junmyeon smirked, “I guess you could say that.”  
  
  


——————————

 

“Du Qing Zhu is gone again!” The Chief of Medical Staff yelled as he made his way over to Hyang Ki.

Hyang Ki turned to face him, “Yes, he said he’d be back soon.”

“What!? Do you know I have every reason to fire him?”

Hyank Ki smiled, “But he's too good to lose, right?”

The man let out a frustrated breath, “Shit! We have a lot to talk about when he gets back!”  
  
  


——————————

 

“I can’t believe Chanyeol took off without us!” An irritated pirate yelled as he started searching the tents once more just to make sure Chanyeol really was gone.

“He’s probably going after that kid.”

The pirate stopped moving to let out a sigh, “You’re right. He better not get killed.”

“He’s pulled stuff like this before, he’ll be fine.”

They looked at each other and smiled, “So let’s enjoy ourselves while he’s gone.”  
  
  


——————————

 

Kyungsoo was busy making arrangements while his Exo Suit was in the process of being loaded onto the hold of a ship for transport to the New Edwards area. He paused once he noticed another mobile suit transport truck pulling up to the dock for loading onto the same ship. As the truck came closer, Kyungsoo recognized the driver of the vehicle.

On the hold of the ship, Chanyeol jumped down from the cab of his truck and Kyungsoo walked over to meet with him.

Chanyeol smiled at him, “Hey, we meet again! I guess we’re on the same mission.”

Kyungsoo nodded, “Should we work together?”

Chanyeol gave Kyungsoo an enthusiastic thumbs up, “Of course!”  
  
  


——————————

 

Two OZ soldiers sat casually together in a small surveillance room, looking at their phones in boredom. Suddenly they heard a large explosion and the alarms in the military airbase started going off. They rushed out of the room towards the flight hangar containing a large transport plane to investigate the explosion.

“Enemy attack!”

They quickly looked around the hangar for signs of any intruders, but suddenly fell to the ground unconscious. Sehun was revealed standing behind them, his arm still raised from knocking out the soldiers.

In the cockpit of the transport plane, Sehun flipped the status control levers one at a time. The first two clicked green, but the third clicked red. Sehun’s expression hardened and he reached for his pistol, cocking it before he walked off to investigate. He opened the door that lead into the compartment, his pistol pointed out in front of himself, but paused once he spotted Baekhyun’s Exo Suit settling into position in the bay. Sehun pointed his pistol at the cockpit of the mobile suit, being extra cautious in case it wasn’t Baekhyun who came out.

“Hi Wu!” Baekhyun smiled, completely unaffected by the gun being pointed at him.

Sehun lowered his weapon, “Byun…”

Baekhyun lowered to the ground via a cable attached to his suit, “That’s right. We don’t want to mess up this mission, do we? We should work together.”

“Do whatever you want.”

Sehun turned to leave, running back in the direction he came from. Baekhyun smiled as he watched him.

_“…He used my real name.”_

The transport plane pulled out from the hangar and gained flight as Sehun held onto the controls. Baekhyun was sitting next to him, smiling to himself.

“Do you know the importance of this mission?”

“Of course I do. This is going to be our best opportunity to destroy OZ once and for all.” Baekhyun answered with a determined look on his face.

Sehun glanced over at him and noticed his expression. He was pleased to know Baekhyun was being serious about this.

“So, do you mind if we talk?” Baekhyun smiled as he curled up one of his legs to rest on the edge of his seat.

Sehun remained silent and Baekhyun giggled a little to himself, he was expecting that response.

“What do you like doing in you free time? You know, when you’re not doing missions and stuff.”

“I don’t have anything I like doing.”

“Nothing? No hobbies at all?”

“No.”

Baekhyun stared at Sehun with a sympathetic expression, _“…He really just sits around and waits for his next mission? That’s so…sad.”_  
  
  


——————————

 

At the New Edwards Base, pacifist leaders gathered for a conference. General Junmyeon and Colonel Jongin were among the attendees.

“We have to stop the bloodshed now.”

“If only we could do it alone. What about the recent incidents? The attacks made by those mysterious Mobile Suits made from Exordium alloy? The Earth is being threatened by those invaders with superior weapons. OZ has engaged in battle with them. What do you think about it?” Septem, a pacifist under OZ, questioned the assembly, looking over at General Junmyeon in particular.

“We believe that they are acts of sabotage committed by the space colonists.” Junmyeon answered.

Noventa, the pacifist leader heading the discussion, stood behind a podium at the front, “It is only natural that the colonies would have a strong mistrust towards Earth. That is why we need to do something as soon as possible.”

“I couldn't agree more. Let's start a new chapter of human civilization with peaceful talks.” Septem added.

“It's not only with the colonies that we need to start talks with. We also need to start talks with ourselves.” Noventa replied.

“But, what about those Mobile Suits?” Septem questioned.

“If they learn that our intentions are towards peace, they will lose their objectives. We will open talks. And that way, the path we have overlooked can be discovered again.”

The attendees stood to applaud Noventa’s words, and Junmyeon leaned over to talk quietly with Jongin.

“History seems to be making a wrong turn.”

Jongin smirked, “Shall we?”

“No, let's wait until the final actors arrive.”

The applaud calmed down as Noventa continued, “Then I would like to move our discussion to the actual agenda for a peaceful negotiation. First…”

The alarm on the base suddenly started sounding. The large video monitor directly behind Noventa turned on, and an officer addressed him directly as he broadcasted an image of Sehun and Baekhyun’s Exo Suits approaching the base.

“Sir! An enemy attack! The base is under an enemy attack!”

Sehun and Baekhyun faced a line of Leo mobile suits defending the base as they arrived. Baekhyun was surprised by the amount of them.

“Defenses are really heavy!”

Sehun paused, “This is ten times more than what I expected.”

Baekhyun nodded, “Be careful, this is going to be tough.”

They began fighting, and the destruction of the mobile suits was broadcast to the assembly floor on the large video monitor. The attendees were in a panic as they watched, they began speaking in overlapping voices.

“There must be something we can do!”

“I can't believe this!”

“We've got to do something!”

Junmyeon smiled to himself as he watched them and leaned over to speak to Jongin once more.

“Colonel, the curtain has risen. Let's get our plan started, too.”

Noventa cried out to the officer as he continued watching the screen, “Tell them to stop fighting! We're seeking peace!”

The reporting officer broke through the broadcast again to speak with Noventa, “That's impossible! They're on a massive attack. We can't afford to stop fighting back or we'll be utterly destroyed.”

The conference attendees began to speak amongst themselves again, and Junmyeon took the opportunity to approach Noventa directly, walking up to the podium and speaking with him.

“Marshal, we need to evacuate at once.”

“But…”

“If you still want to seek peace with them, that's fine; but you shouldn’t put yourself in danger.”

“You're right, there's no point in getting killed, not if we're to promote peace negotiations.”

“Then, please use our high-speed shuttle. It's always on standby for immediate take off.”

“I'm surprised to hear your kind offer.”

“Marshal, we are all still Earthlings.”

“You're right. I accept your offer.”

Junmyeon and Noventa left the room together, and the other attendees began to file out of the room, directed by officers standing at the doorway. Outside of the door, Junmyeon halted Septem, placing a hand on his shoulder.

“General Septem, please come this way.”

“Why? Isn't the shuttle this way?”

“It would probably be a good idea to disperse the leaders into two planes, just in case. My private shuttle is at hanger F-7. It is a small one, but it's a state of the art model.”

“Is that right? Then, I'll follow your recommendation.”

Junmyeon smiled, “This way…”

Junmyeon walked off in a different direction from the rest of the delegates and attendees, and Septem followed him.  
  
  


——————————

 

Baekhyun and Sehun struggled to deal with the amount of mobile suits firing on them.

“They just keep coming!” Baekhyun yelled.

Both their proximity alarms suddenly sounded and they checked their monitors to see two new mobile suits firing missiles at the Leo suits. Together, they began shooting down the remaining forces.

“I have no time to persuade you to surrender today.” Kyungsoo spoke coldly as he fired on them.

Sehun and Baekhyun held back, watching the new mobile suits cautiously.

“They’re just like us!” Baekhyun smiled, recognizing the model of the suits.

“More Exo Suits?” Sehun curiously wondered.

Sehun and Baekhyun eventually joined back into the fighting, and it didn’t take long for the four of them to defeat the defending forces. Once they were eliminated, the four Exo Suits faced each other.

“Those mobile suits are just like ours.” Chanyeol smiled.

“Exactly the same.” Kyungsoo responded.

Suddenly an image of Baekhyun appeared on their screens, he was smiling happily at them, “Hello, are you guys also Exo Pilots?”

Kyungsoo nodded, “Yes.”

“Great, looks like we have some more comrades.” Chanyeol continued smiling as he gave Baekhyun a thumbs up.

Baekhyun gave them a thumbs up as well, “Good to hear.”  
  
  


——————————

 

“What's wrong?! Why haven't we left yet?” Septem nervously asked.

“We're waiting for Marshal Noventa's shuttle to take off. We'll leave right after them.” Junmyeon responded, a smirk playing on his lips.

As Noventa’s shuttle launched, Sehun’s proximity alarm went off. He went to check the shuttle, and realized it matched the one from his mission specs. Sehun launched from the airfield and converted into flight mode to quickly catch up with Noventa’s shuttle.

Unknowing of Sehun’s approach, the delegates were seated inside the shuttle discussing the outcome of the meeting.

“It's an unfortunate coincidence. But I won't let it obstruct our peace proposal.”

One of the officers spotted Sehun’s Exo Suit coming towards them from the view of the window.

“M-M-Marshal!”

Noventa turned around in time to see Sehun convert back into a mobile suit and draw his beam sword. Noventa’s eyes widened in horror.

“Don't do it!”

Sehun sliced through the fuselage of the aircraft, and it exploded.

“Mission: complete.”

Septem witnessed the destruction of Noventa’s shuttle on a video screen inside Junmyeon’s private transport jet.

“What did he do!? My God, Marshal Noventa!”

Amid the smoke and confusion, Junmyeon’s private jet took off without notice. Junmyeon smiled as he looked out his window, watching as Sehun landed back amongst his comrades.

As Sehun landed, Kyungsoo suddenly got a message on his screen. Kyungsoo’s face became very upset as he read it. He quickly opened his cockpit to step out and speak to the other pilots.

“We've all been lured right into OZ's trap!”

Baekhyun looked at Kyungsoo curiously, “What do you mean?”

“Check out OZ’s report! We just wiped out the pacifists.”

Sehun’s eyes widened momentarily before he quickly brought up a video screen on one of his view monitors to watch the current news. Septem was broadcasting from Junmyeon’s private jet.

“This is considered the Colony Rebels declaration of war on us! Today, we were here to discuss peaceful negotiations. And the man who was so eager to uphold that noble cause is no longer with us. He was among the victims on board the shuttle, brutally killed by the heartless colony invaders! I repeat! This is an act of war!”

Sehun’s hands were shaking as they hovered over his controls, “What have I...What have I done?”  
  
  


——————————

 

The broadcast ended, and Septem lowered his head and slumped in his chair in front of a video camera.

“Very nicely done, General Septem. We won't be needing you any further.” Jongin smirked.

“What…?”

A trap door suddenly opened in the floor of the plane, and Septem was ejected, chair and all. Jongin drew a gun and took aim at Septem as he fell through the sky.

“That was a terrific performance. Too bad you have such a small role in this act.”

Jongin fired his pistol, his shot took aim through Septem’s skull. Junmyeon was seated comfortably nearby as he watched Jongin’s act of murder.

“The Second Act has begun.”


	7. An Unfamiliar Smile

Chanyeol and Kyungsoo quickly took off after Junmyeon’s shuttle once they realized he had already escaped. Sehun and Baekhyun remained at the New Edwards Airfield. Baekhyun looked over at Sehun, concerned with how he was feeling about this. Instead of saying anything, Baekhyun decided to merely stand beside him.

Suddenly an alert tone sounded in Baekhyun’s cockpit and Baekhyun looked at his monitors. A moment later, mobile suits began to fire at them.

“Are there still survivors? Let's get out of here!”

Baekhyun moved to evade the incoming fire, but Sehun didn’t change his position.

“Wu! Watch out!”  
  
  


————————

 

OZ Personnel located at the base near New Edwards received a sudden call from Colonel Jongin via a video monitor.

“Activate the missile self-detonation devices.”

“Self-detonation devices?”

“You can remotely activate the system from there.”

“Yes, sir.”

The transmission ended and the personnel turned to look at each other, “Blowing up the whole base just to destroy a handful of Mobile Suits?”  
  
  


————————

 

Baekhyun cringed as he watched Sehun’s suit skid across the tarmac, throwing Sehun against the seat restraints until he fell against the monitor and grunted in pain. As he laid defenselessly, alarms started sounding at the base, and Baekhyun heard a voice over the speakers.

“Self Destruct System has been activated. Everyone evacuate immediately. Repeat. Self- Destruct System has been activated.”

Baekhyun anxiously started typing into his controls to get more information on the base. Sehun’s video monitor blinked on, and Baekyan appeared in the window. Sehun was still pressed up against his monitor as he turned to look over at Baekhyun.

“The missile self-destruct system has been activated at this base! There are 47 high-yield nuclear warheads at New Edwards; and if all of them went off at the same time... Everything in a 180-mile radius will be destroyed! We have less than 10 minutes to get away. There is no way we can fly 180 miles in such a short period of time! We have to deactivate the missiles!”

Sehun paused for a brief moment, staring at Baekhyun’s face. He suddenly grabbed onto his controls and stood again.

“Missile base location confirmed. Proceeding to enter the base.”

Baekhyun smiled as he watched Sehun land on top of the missile holding warehouse. Sehun used his beam sword to cut a slice along one of the missile vent ports in the roof. After tearing open the hole further with his foot and shield, Sehun opened his cockpit and jumped down into the missile warehouse below.

As he fell from the roof, Sehun shot a line with a magnetic bolt from a gun. The bolt struck an I-beam in the building’s support structure, and Sehun swung across the room which helped reduce the force from his fall. He lowered himself to the ground and heard Baekhyun’s voice speaking to him via an earpiece he was wearing.

“The self-destruct system is based on the largest missile, the 304 type. All the rest are set to go off from the blast of the 304. Try to find the control room for the 304, as quickly as possible.”

Sehun looked up at one of the missiles, stretching above him; and then he turned to run off in another direction, down a dark tunnel.

Baekhyun made his way over to the flight hangar, looking for a mobile suit carrier. He opened the cargo bay and spotted a few of them.

“Alright, they’re all in good shape.”

Baekhyun anxiously looked over at his screen which was displaying the countdown for the self-detonation. There were 29 seconds left. Baekhyun paused and closed his eyes, concentrating all his thoughts into a prayer for Sehun’s success.  
  
  


————————

 

Sehun pulled himself through a small passage and reached the end, which was guarded with metal bars. Sehun grabbed the bars and slowly pulled them apart, grunting as he used all his strength. His gloves prevented him from receiving the electric shock the bars were charged with. After prying them apart, Sehun reached through the bars and pulled a wire tab from the circuit board. The timer slowed to a stop at 0001.45.

Baekhyun opened his eyes once he heard the beeping from the timer stop. He let out a sigh of relief as he stared at the green numbers on his screen.

“You’re unbelievable Wu.”  
  
  


————————

 

Baekhyun found Sehun on the roof of the missile holding warehouse standing next to his Exo Suit. Baekhyun ran over to him as he started speaking.

“I’ve secured a carrier, let’s get out of here.”

Sehun looked over at him and paused for a moment. Baekhyun knew he must have been upset about falling into OZ’s trap, but he couldn’t see any frustration on Sehun’s face. He never saw any emotion on Sehun’s face aside from his cold blank expression.

Sehun jumped back inside his suit and it started moving. He reached out his suit’s large hand to Baekhyun, inviting him to climb on. Baekhyun smiled to himself in surprise and carefully climbed on, holding tightly onto one of the large fingers, which happened to be larger than his own body.

Sehun watched Baekhyun on his internal monitor, “Which way?”

Baekhyun pointed his hand in the direction of the carrier as he continued smiling. Sehun started walking slowly, making sure the draft wasn’t too strong for Baekhyun to handle.

Once they were seated inside the carrier, Baekhyun looked over at Sehun, “Were should we go now?”

“The other Exo Pilots failed in tracking down General Junmyeon, but I think I may know where Colonel Jongin is headed. We’re going after him.”

Baekhyun smiled happily to himself as he nodded. It seemed that Sehun had accepted him as a partner. He hoped Sehun wouldn’t run off and disappear again without him, but he figured there was little chance of that. At least for now, he was happy to be accepted by Sehun and stay by his side.  
  
  


————————

 

Sehun and Baekhyun walked down the hallway of their new school together. Girls squealed and waved as they walked by and Baekhyun waved back at them happily smiling.

“Why do you acknowledge them?” Sehun suddenly asked as he glanced over at Baekhyun.

“I'm just trying to act normal.”

“You stand out.”

“I think it's much more natural for me to be myself. You wouldn't be as suspicious if you acted normal. I told you to try and have fun remember?”

“I'm not like you.”

Baekhyun laughed, “No, you’re not.”

During class Sehun was busy quietly working on his classwork. Baekhyun was sitting next to him, his head propped into his hand in boredom. He looked over at Sehun and was surprised to see him actually doing his school work. Baekhyun smiled to himself before he scooted closer to Sehun and rested his head on Sehun’s shoulder.

“You actually do that stuff?”

Sehun continued to work without acknowledging Baekhyun. Baekhyun smirked before he opened his mouth to lightly bite Sehun’s shoulder. Sehun didn’t seem to mind, his pencil still quickly moved across his paper as he continued filling out the answers. Baekhyun smiled as he pulled away, he wondered how much Sehun would let him get away with.

He snuck his hands under the desk and pulled Sehun’s shirt out of his pants to lift it slightly. Sehun’s eyes stayed focused on his paper, Baekhyun watched him in amusement before he popped his head under the desk to look at Sehun’s exposed body. He was happily greeted with the sight of well toned abs. Baekhyun bit his lip as he stared at him for a moment. He popped his head back up to look at Sehun’s face, he was still concentrating.

Baekhyun smiled, it seemed like Sehun really trusted him. Either that or Sehun was fully confident he could deal with Baekhyun if he tried to pull anything funny. Baekhyun liked both possible ideas, but he hoped Sehun had come to trust him.  
  
  


————————

 

Sehun was sitting in his room typing at his computer when Baekhyun suddenly opened the door and poked his head inside. Sehun turned to look at him, and then went back to working on his computer. Baekhyun smiled, it was the first time Sehun didn’t draw a gun at him.

Baekhyun sat down on Sehun’s bed and watched as Sehun continued working. Baekhyun was hoping to have a small conversation with Sehun, but it didn’t seem like a good time. He pouted a little as he waited for Sehun to tell him what he was working on.

“I was able to track down Colonel Jongin’s location.”

Baekhyun relaxed onto his hands as he sat back, “What’s the plan?”

Sehun stood up and came over to Baekhyun, holding out a small device to him. Baekhyun looked up at him curiously before taking it.

“You are going to go undercover as an OZ soldier. That’s a tracking device. I’ll be following you in my Exo Suit in case anything goes wrong.”

Baekhyun nodded, “Got it.”  
  
  


————————

 

Baekhyun was dressed in an OZ uniform, he and some other soldiers were escorting Colonel Jongin onto a private jet. Baekhyun secretly pulled the collar of his uniform to check the tracking device he was wearing, making sure it was still sending out a signal.

Sehun was sitting in his cockpit, staring at a map. A small red dot was blinking on the screen.

Once they were boarded and flying for a good while, Baekhyun made his first move. He carefully made his way around the bridge, knocking out the soldiers before they could make a sound. Baekhyun talked into a secret microphone on his wrist as he made his way towards Jongin’s private quarter.

“I’m going in.”

“Roger.”

Baekhyun entered the room and stood in front of Jongin, saluting him. Jongin was sitting at a large desk, he looked up at him from his clipboard in annoyance.

“What do you want?”

Without responding, Baekhyun suddenly pulled out his gun and took aim at Jongin. Jongin quickly reacted, and pressed a switch underneath his desk. A trap door opened in the floor of the plane, and Baekhyun gasped as he started falling.

Sehun spotted a body evict from the plane and start falling through the sky. He zoomed in on the image on his monitor and realized it was Baekhyun who was in danger. Sehun turned into flight mode and sped towards him. He adjusted his craft where he wanted it, a good distance below Baekhyun, and starts flying upwards. He opened his cockpit and stepped out onto the door of his suit, the pressure from ascending upwards kept him from flying away. Sehun held out his arms and looked up at Baekhyun.

Baekhyun fell into Sehun’s arms and Sehun tightly grabbed onto him. Baekhyun’s eyes were shut tightly closed, but after realizing something was now suddenly holding him, and he was going up instead of down, he opened them. He looked up at Sehun in shock. Before Baekhyun could say anything, Sehun quickly sat back down inside his suit and placed Baekhyun on his lap. He closed the cockpit blast shield doors as Aries suits started flying towards them.

Baekhyun sat on Sehun’s lap, still in awe of what had just happened, and watched as Sehun started firing on the Aries suits. Baekhyun admired Sehun’s hardened expression, his eyes were so intense as they flashed around the screen, quickly analyzing the moves of his opponents. Baekhyun was convinced there was probably never a time Sehun looked more alluring, he was glad he was getting to witness it so up close and personal. Baekhyun bit his lip as he took one last look at him before he huddled close to Sehun to make sure he wouldn’t block his vision. He glanced over and watched the screen as he pressed his head close to Sehun’s chest, also enjoying the vision of Sehun easily maneuvering the battle and quickly defeating the mobile suits. It was probably wrong for Baekhyun to get so turned on by Sehun killing people, but he couldn’t help it, he loved how skilled Sehun was in combat. It didn’t help that Sehun had just miraculously saved his life. Baekhyun would have let Sehun take him right then and there if Sehun wanted to, but he knew that was far from being on Sehun’s mind. Somehow that made Baekhyun even more horny.

Colonel Jongin’s plane was able to take off during the fight, and once Sehun had finished defeating the Aries suits, there was no sight of him.

“Sorry, looks like we failed.” Baekhyun spoke quietly, a little ashamed of himself for failing the mission.

Sehun started typing and looking at some maps. Baekhyun watched the screen as he continued huddling up against him.

“Thanks for saving me.”

Sehun kept typing, Baekyan looked up at him and tried to read his expression.

“We won’t be able to catch up with his jet before he has reached his destination.”

Sehun pulled up a video feed of the base Jongin was going to. It was heavily guarded with hundreds of mobile suits.

“We’ll have to abort the mission.”

Baekhyun paused and smirked to himself as he decided to use some of Sehun’s typical military lingo, “Roger.”

Sehun reached for his control sticks and started flying away. Baekhyun relaxed his body and closed his eyes, looking forward to the long flight he had of sitting on Sehun’s lap.

Once Sehun had landed and turned off his Exo Suit, he stared down at Baekhyun and realized he was asleep. Sehun decided to relax back in his seat and close his eyes to sleep as well. He didn’t care where he slept, or the fact that Baekhyun was on his lap. It was already late and too much of a bother to move around.  
  
  


————————

 

Baekhyun woke up and looked up at Sehun in surprise. Sehun was still asleep, and Baekhyun stared at his relaxed expression. He seemed so peaceful when he was sleeping. Baekhyun smiled and carefully reached for his phone. He laid his head back on Sehun’s chest and held his phone out to take a few pictures. He lowered the phone and enjoyed the rise and fall of Sehun’s chest as he breathed deeply.

After a long moment, Baekhyun carefully reached forward and started typing on Sehun’s controls. He decided to peek through Sehun’s footage, knowing well that the Exo Suit kept a log of everything whenever it was turned on. He made sure to turn the volume down very low before he began.

First Baekhyun decided to pull up the footage of them in the cockpit together, and smiled to himself as he hit a button and the monitor read the words “Saved.”

After sending the footage to himself, Baekhyun started peeking through much older files. He is intrigued by a file labeled with a date eight years ago. Baekhyun clicked on it to watch it.

Sehun was sitting cross-legged in the cockpit, only a child at the time, looking dirty wearing ragged clothes. Baekhyun blinked a few times to make sure he was seeing it right, Sehun was so young to even know what an Exo Suit was.

On Sehun’s lap was a plate full of spaghetti, he smiled to himself as he was eating it. Baekhyun stared at his happy expression with surprise, never witnessing a similar look on Sehun’s face before.

Suddenly, an old man’s voice could be heard outside of the suit, “Why are you eating in there?”

Sehun’s smile disappeared, “I prefer to be alone.”

Sehun sat in silence for a moment, seemingly watching the old man leave. He started to eat again and his smile returned. He held up a noodle and started to sing.

“Nobody likes me, everybody hates me,  
I think I’ll go eat worms!  
Big fat juicy ones,  
Eensie weeny squeensy ones,  
See how they wiggle and squirm!”

Sehun started to wiggle the noodle and laughed to himself. A bittersweet smile covered Baekhyun’s face as he listened to Sehun, torn between enjoying his small laughter and feeling depressed about the horrible lyrics he was singing.

“Down goes the first one, down goes the second one,  
Oh how they wiggle and squirm!”

Sehun chomped on the noodle and laughed again.

“Nobody know how I survive  
On worms three times a day!”

Baekhyun turned off the video and looked over at Sehun who was still sleeping. 

_“…Even he was a little kid once…It’s hard to imagine…He was even singing.”_

Baekhyun sat silently watching Sehun with a sympathetic expression, realizing this war had stolen the majority of Sehun’s life. Eventually Baekhyun huddled up close to Sehun again, closing his eyes to try and fall back asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Are you guys still with me? Hopefully this chapter was a little more entertaining. From here on out I hope it continues to get more interesting. We’ve made it over that first hurdle, well, at least I hope you have.
> 
> Something big is going to happen in the next chapter, and then chapter nine we’ll get a first look at what this story is really about. I mean obviously this is about SeBaek, but deeper than that.


	8. Painful Surrender

Jongin entered Junmyeon’s room with a worried expression, he nervously saluted Junmyeon before speaking.

“Sir…Lt. Jongdae has turned traitorous. He and some of his underlings have liberated the Sanc Kingdom from our rule.”

Junmyeon paused, “…The Sanc Kingdom…Lt. Jongdae’s homeland.”

“Not only that. Princess Nari has returned to the Sanc Kingdom.”

Junmyeon smiled, “I see. I’m sure she’ll try her best to preach her pacifist beliefs. We can ignore them for now, we have bigger things to worry about. Tell me, what is the progress on the Taurus Suits?”

Jongin’s face relaxed, “They’re getting ready for transport.”

Junmyeon smirked, “And you’ve finished preparations for the rebels?”

Jongin smirked as he saluted Junmyeon again, “Yes, Sir.”  
  
  


———————————

 

Baekhyun opened the door to Sehun’s room to find Sehun typing on his computer like usual. Sehun briefly turned to make sure it was Baekhyun before he went back to his work.

“Have you received the mission?” Baekhyun asked as he approached Sehun.

“Yes. OZ will be transporting a new type of mobile suit.”

Baekhyun paused, “…I have a bad feeling about this. The transportation plan seems perfect. We've discovered two different routes, on the ground and in the air. We’ll go after the air route. Piao and Du will check out the ground route.”

“Roger.”

Baekhyun stared at Sehun with concern, “Let’s just be very careful this time, they're well prepared.”

Sehun didn’t answer, and Baekhyun looked down at him nervously. He was afraid what might happen after the stunt OZ pulled last time.  
  
  


———————————

 

“Flying objects approaching from south-east at high speed. Rebel Pilots O1 and 02. They’ll arrive at the supply base in T minus 300.”

Jongin smirked as he watched Sehun and Baekhyun approach them on his monitor. They   
arrived at the carrier transporting the Taurus mobile suits, and began battling with the mobile suits surrounding it. 

“Sir, half the land route Leo troops have already been defeated by Rebel Pilots 03 and 04.”

Jongin continued to smirk with a cocky expression, “Get Space Fortress Barge on line.”

The monitor switched and a soldier saluted Jongin on the screen, “Colonel Jongin, positioning is complete.”

Jongin reached for the microphone and his voice was suddenly heard on a loud speaker, broadcasting to the land and air route.

“Attention all Rebel pilots. We're ready to stage an all-out missile attack on the colonies! This isn't a bluff. I demand all pilots to surrender at once and hand over your mobile suits!”

All four Exo Pilots paused fighting, taken by surprise. Baekhyun gripped onto his controls tightly, he knew it was a trap, but he never thought they would take it this far.

The mobile suits stopped firing at them, but they surrounded them to make sure they couldn’t escape. 

“Sir, the rebels have stopped, but they aren’t surrendering.”

Jongin’s expression hardened, “Launch a missile! I don't care where!”

Suddenly their monitors were overtaken by an image of an old man.

“What on earth…? Who is this guy?”

The soldier began to push some buttons to try and make the image disappear, but nothing worked.

“Attention OZ. I never imagined you people could be so foolish. The Space Colonies have no intention of fighting OZ. This is MY personal battle I'm staging against you!”

The Rebel pilots stared at the image curiously, which was also being broadcast on their on monitors.

“Who is this guy?” Chanyeol asked.

Kyungsoo stared at it for a moment, “He must be one of the people who's been sending orders to one of us four Pilots.”

Sehun paused, “…Dr. J.”

“So the Rebel's finally showing his face!” Jongin smiled.

“Sir, the transmission is on a regular line from outer space. Transmission origin is Colony C-1013.”

Dr. J continued, “To you, inhumane moves like colony assaults are justified if that's what it takes for you to come out victorious. I have no choice but to surrender.”

“Very well! Your surrender's accepted. Abandon your mobile suits immediately!” Jongin demanded.

Sehun opened his cockpit and stepped out of his mobile suit to stand on the door. Baekhyun noticed and watched him nervously.

“A kid! The pilot of that suit is just a kid?!” Jongin stared at Sehun in awe.

Dr. J’s voice was heard again, “I surrender. But I will not hand over the Exo Suits, I repeat. I surrender, but I will not hand over the Exo Suits.”

Sehun reached out one his hands, which was holding a small switch, “Mission accepted.”

Baekhyun recognized the switch he was holding and desperately called out to him, “Wu! No! Don’t do it!!”

Sehun pressed the switch and his mobile suit suddenly exploded, blowing Sehun away towards the ground. Baekhyun watched in horror as he called out to him again.

“WU!!”

Sehun landed and rolled a good distance before he eventually stopped. His body laid motionlessly on the ground. Baekhyun hurried over to Sehun and gently picked him up with his suit, he could see that Sehun’s face was completely vacant, and his body was covered in blood. Baekhyun took a deep breath as he stared at him.

Chanyeol and Kyungsoo only paused watching them for a moment before Chanyeol started calling out to them.

“We gotta get out of here! Hurry!”

They quickly retreated together, and Baekhyun made sure to hold Sehun carefully in his hands, covering him so he would be safe from the enemy fire.  
  
  


———————————

 

As OZ went to retrieve the pieces from Sehun’s destroyed suit, they discovered that it had already mysteriously disappeared. They searched the entire area, but it was no where to be found.

Jongin threw down his military cap as he cursed loudly, their entire plan had failed. General Junmyeon wasn’t going to be happy.  
  
  


———————————

 

Baekhyun returned to his school, followed by Chanyeol and Kyungsoo. Chanyeol helped Baekhyun carry Sehun into his room and they laid him on the bed. Baekhyun quickly unzipped Sehun’s battle suit to get a better look at his wounds.

Kyungsoo gently moved Baekhyun aside as he put a bag on the bed he had been carrying, “I’m a doctor, let me handle this.”

Baekhyun looked over at Kyungsoo in surprise and then backed away. Kyungsoo examined Sehun for a moment before he started rummaging through his bag.

“Clean him off, I need to start stitching him up.” Kyungsoo ordered.

Baekhyun rushed to grab a bowl of water and then started cleaning Sehun’s body, dabbing him with a towel, which soaked it with blood. Kyungsoo went to work as Baekhyun continued cleaning him, and Chanyeol went to grab more towels and bowls of water.

Once Kyungsoo had properly sealed the wounds and stopped the bleeding, Baekhyun went to work wrapping Sehun in bandages. Kyungsoo took out more equipment to check Sehun’s vitals.

“He’s alive…But I’m not sure he’s going to regain consciousness.”

Baekhyun paused, gripping tightly onto the bandages he was holding as he stared at Sehun’s face.

“You mean, he’s in a coma?” Chanyeol asked.

“Precisely. I can steal some equipment from the hospital I work at to keep him alive for now…But someone will need to stay by his side and take care of him.”

“I’ll do it.” Baekhyun answered in a determined yet fragile voice.

Kyungsoo nodded, “All right. I’ll come back here tomorrow.”

Baekhyun turned to look at him, “Thank you.”  
  
  


———————————

 

Baekhyun returned to his dorm room after school and gently placed his bag down as he looked at Sehun laying in bed. He came over to Sehun and stared down at him for a long moment. Every time he stared at him, he hoped Sehun would finally open his eyes, but Sehun’s eyes remained shut. Baekhyun looked up at the equipment attached to Sehun to make sure his vitals were still looking good.

After tearing himself away from Sehun, Baekhyun made his way into the kitchen to grab his dinner. His dinner was always the same, it was the lunch he had prepared for Sehun on the previous night, in case Sehun woke up while he was gone and got hungry.

Baekhyun spent his days going to school, and then doing some activity in his room so he could stay by Sehun’s side, which usually included watching a movie or playing a game. Every three days though, Kyungsoo instructed that Baekhyun needed to clean Sehun’s body. This involved stripping Sehun and washing him off with a washcloth. 

There was no denying the fact that Baekhyun enjoyed this task, but he refrained from being inappropriate, and made sure to never molest Sehun, with his hands anyway. There was no way to prevent his eyes from indulging in the sight of Sehun’s naked body. 

If Baekhyun had to describe his perfect type, it would be Sehun. Every part of him. The time Baekhyun got to spend staring at him only increased his attraction for him. 

Unfortunately, there was no use being attracted to someone if they never woke up again. With each day that passed Baekhyun grew increasingly worried that Sehun would never regain consciousness.

At night Baekhyun snuck under the covers next to Sehun and laid his head on the pillow as he stared at him, willing Sehun’s eyes to open. 

“Please…please wake up Shi Xun.”  
  
  


———————————

 

“There is a patient requesting to see you.” Hyang Ki informed Kyungsoo, smiling a little to herself in amusement. “Room 304.”

Kyungsoo looked at her curiously before he made his way towards the room. He opened the door to find Chanyeol sitting on the bed. Kyungsoo shut the door and walked over to him as Chanyeol smiled.

“I think I may have gotten injured in that last fight.” Chanyeol spoke with a groan as he rotated one of his arms.

Kyungsoo sat down next to him and reached for his stethoscope, “Let me run a full check on you first.”

Chanyeol smirked, “Sure.”

Kyungsoo started with checking Chanyeol’s heart rate, and then moved onto his blood pressure. Chanyeol relaxed watching Kyungsoo, thoroughly enjoying his check up. 

“That Doctor, she looks a lot like you.”

“She’s my sister.” Kyungsoo answered as he continued working.

Chanyeol’s smile grew larger, “Oh yeah?”

“Yes, but she has never met me before. She doesn’t know who I am.”

“Why not?”

“She was living here on Earth when I was born. My family wasn’t able to communicate with her.”

Chanyeol paused, “Why haven’t you told her?”

“I don’t think she would appreciate knowing that I’m a soldier.”

On the other side of the door, Hyang Ki was pressed against it listening to them. She had been curious about Chanyeol’s request to be treated by Kyungsoo, amused by his obvious interest in him. She stepped away from the door in shock, spending a moment reflecting on Kyungsoo’s words. 

“Yeah, it’s probably for the best.”

Kyungsoo started to examine Chanyeol’s arm, and Chanyeol faked a sound of pain, “Ahhh.”

Kyungsoo glared up at him as he moved it again, Chanyeol made another fake sound. Kyungsoo sighed as he stood up.

“You’re not hurt, are you?”

Chanyeol laughed, “Dang, I was hoping I could fake it longer.”

“Why did you come here then?”

Chanyeol shrugged his eyebrows at him, “Just wanted to see you.”

Kyungsoo sighed again as he picked up his clipboard, “I’m busy.”

Kyungsoo went to the door and left the room, his sister was no longer standing in the hallway. Chanyeol slouched over in disappointment once the door closed behind Kyungsoo.

“Damn, might actually have to injure myself next time.”


	9. The Price of War

Sehun slowly opened his eyes, his senses gradually coming back to him. He analyzed his surroundings and realized he was laying in bed, his body wrapped in bandages. The room was dark, it must have been in the middle of the night. He noticed someone was laying next to him and rolled his head to look over at them.

Baekhyun’s face was close, he was sleeping peacefully with his eyes shut. Sehun was surprised to see him.

“Byun…?”

Baekhyun stirred at hearing Sehun’s voice, he blinked a few times before he noticed Sehun was staring at him.

“Shi Xun!!”

Sehun started to sit up, but stopped as he cringed in pain. Baekhyun quickly sat up to help him.

“Where am I?”

“Take it easy. You’re in our dorm room at our new school.”

“Why'd you save me? I was supposed to die.”

Baekhyun paused as he stared at Sehun with an upset expression, “…You shouldn’t just throw your life away like that, there are other solutions…”

Sehun remained silent, Baekhyun knew he wasn’t going to answer him.

“In OZ's eyes, you're already dead. One month has passed, and OZ hasn't touched the colonies. They're just conquering pacifist nations on Earth.”

Sehun’s eyes widened a little, “A month has passed?”

“Yes, but there hasn't been one mission since that day.”

“I see.”

“You're no longer attached to the colonies, but my case isn't that simple. I'm not sure what to do. What if OZ used the colonies as a shield again?”

Sehun paused in thought, and Baekhyun stared at him happily for a long moment, overjoyed that Sehun was finally awake.

“How are you feeling?”

“I’m fine.”

Baekhyun stood up and started detaching the tubes attached to Sehun, “Let me go make you some food.”

Once Baekhyun had detached them all, he left to go into the kitchen. Sehun’s eyes had adjusted to the darkness by now and he started to look around at the room. He noticed his clothes were washed and folded nicely on top of the dresser. A first aid kit sat on the table, and lots of clean bandages. There were boxes filled with medical bags for his nutrients and urine placed on the floor.

Sehun slowly stood up and stretched his body, but stopped once he cringed in pain again. He paused for a moment before he walked into the kitchen and watched Baekhyun cooking.

“I’m going to wash off.”

“Oh, of course, go ahead. This should be done by the time you’re finished. Will you be ok on your own?”

Sehun nodded and then walked off. Once he was done, he came out to see Baekhyun placing the food on the table. Sehun sat down and Baekhyun smiled at him.

“Here, go ahead and eat.”

Sehun paused, staring at the warm delicious looking food, “…Thank you.”

Baekhyun smiled in surprise at Sehun’t words, he wasn’t expecting any appreciation from him.

“You’re welcome.”

Baekhyun pointed at some pills sitting on the table, “These are some painkillers if you need them. You should eat first before taking them.”

Sehun looked at the pills temporarily before he started eating. Baekhyun went to grab some clean bandages and came over to Sehun to carefully change them. It was much easier now that he was awake. Sehun continued eating as Baekhyun wrapped him up.

When Sehun was finished eating he picked up the pills sitting on the table and swallowed them. Baekhyun watched him, realizing that Sehun really must have been in a great deal of pain. After witnessing Sehun tumble down a cliff and break his leg, he wondered what Sehun’s pain tolerance was.

Baekhyun took Sehun’s plate and brought it back into the kitchen. Sehun slowly got up from the table and made his way back over to the bed. Baekhyun came out to see Sehun crawling back into the bed and cringe in pain again as he moved. Baekhyun hurried towards him to help him lay down. Once he was comfortable Baekhyun sat next to him.

“Sorry, we’ve been sharing this bed this whole time, I hope you don’t mind.”

“I don’t.”

Baekhyun smiled and stood up to go turn off the light. He returned to get under the covers next to Sehun. Baekhyun stared at Sehun as Sehun looked up at the ceiling.

“…I’m really glad you’re all right.”

Sehun remained silent.

“Goodnight Shi Xun, rest well.”

“Don’t call me Shi Xun.”

Baekhyun’s paused anxiously, fearing that he had used Sehun’s personal name without permission.

“My real name is Oh Sehun.”

Baekhyun paused again in surprise, a bright smile slowly grew on his face.

“Goodnight Sehun.”

_Thump thump_

Sehun noticed the sporadic beat of his heart. It was unusual for him, he wasn’t sure what to think of it.

Baekhyun smiled as he stared at Sehun for a long time, enjoying the thought that Sehun was conscious again. Eventually Baekhyun closed his eyes and allowed himself to drift off into a happy dream.  
  
  


————————

 

Sehun awoke early, just like he always did, and found Baekhyun still sleeping next to him. His hand was resting on Sehun’s arm. Sehun looked down at Baekhyun, and then down at his hand touching his arm.

An alarm started sounding and Baekhyun’s eyes blinked a few times before he was fully awake. Baekhyun sat up and reached for his phone to shut off the alarm before he noticed that Sehun was staring at him. Baekhyun smiled at him as he rubbed his eyes and yawned.

“Good morning.”

Sehun also sat up, continuing to stare at Baekhyun silently. Baekhyun stretched for a moment before he stood up. He grabbed his uniform and started getting ready for class. Sehun sat in bed and continued watching him until Baekhyun disappeared into the bathroom.

After a little while Baekhyun came back out and went into the kitchen. Sehun could hear him making something, he waited patiently for Baekhyun to return. Eventually Baekhyun appeared and put two plates on the table. He smiled as he looked over at Sehun.

“Are you hungry?”

Sehun stood up and came over to the table, this time with a little more ease. He noticed more pills placed next to his plate. They ate in silence together and Baekhyun smiled to himself as he watched Sehun.

“Do you like it?”

“Mm.”

Baekhyun’s smile grew larger, it was a simple response, but enough to make him happy. Sehun took the painkillers again once he was finished. Baekhyun grabbed the plates and brought them back into the kitchen before he picked up his bag and made his way over to the door.

“I made you a lunch, it’s in the fridge. Stay here and concentrate on getting better. I’m off to class!”

Baekhyun opened the door and smiled one last time at Sehun, “Have a good day Sehun!”

The door closed and Sehun stared at it blankly.

_Thump thump_   
  
  


————————

 

After resting, Sehun eventually got out of bed and made his way over to the window. He watched the students walking around campus for a long while, until he spotted a familiar face. It was Baekhyun. He kneeled down in front of some flowers and took a picture of them. He spent a moment looking at his photograph before he stood up and walked away.

Sehun opened the fridge and found a dosirak sitting inside with a post it note attached to it that read: For Sehun. Sehun stared at the words for a long moment.

_Thump thump_   
  
  


————————

 

“I’m back! Did you rest well?”

Baekhyun looked around the room to see the washed and empty dosirak sitting on the counter to dry. He smiled to himself as he turned his attention to Sehun, who was sitting at the computer. Baekhyun happily bounced towards him to stand next to him.

“You’re not here to save the colonies, are you?”

“What?” Baekhyun asked as he curiously stared at him.

Sehun turned in his chair to look at him, “You’re here to save the Earth, am I right?”

Baekhyun smiled and lowered his head before he looked over at the window. Sehun watched him as he stared tenderly at the trees.

“I didn’t expect you to notice.”

“How did you get a hold of an Exo Suit?”

Baekhyun sighed, “…That is kind of a long story…I won’t bore you will I?”

“I’ve been curious ever since you told me who you really are. How did someone like you end up becoming a soldier?”

Baekhyun smiled, “…Well, it’s certainly not something I imagined was ever going to happen. I’m sure you can tell by looking at me, my physique isn’t ideal for a soldier. I spent my childhood learning etiquette and the proper way to hold a teacup.”

Baekhyun paused as he laughed a little, “…I probably should have been content with that life…But I was always so jealous of the Earth. I spent a lot of time looking at books and watching videos, but it was never enough.”

Baekhyun walked over to the window to get a better look outside, “I vowed that I would experience the beauty of nature for myself one day, but I had no idea how I would get to Earth. OZ’s control over the colonies made it impossible even for royalty to visit this place.”

Baekhyun turned his head to look over at Sehun, who’s eyes were still watching him closely, “It took me a while, but I finally discovered a way to get here. After stealing some of my family’s fortune, I ran away from home at the age of eleven to become a soldier. I took on the name Bian Boxian to make sure no one could find me. I always thought I would go back to visit my family…but I haven’t seen them since that day.”

Sehun remained silent, Baekhyun lowered his head shyly and smiled, “I bet you think that’s pretty silly, running away from home for a reason like that.”

“There's nothing wrong with acting on your emotions. At least that's what I was taught.”

Baekhyun looked back up at him in surprise.

“How did becoming a soldier help you?”

“Well, I thought once I became a soldier I might get stationed here on Earth, but the opportunity never came up. That is until they started to look for a pilot for Operation Meteor. I was selected as one of the candidates to become an Exo Pilot, and was intensely trained for a time. Of course I never planned to follow through with it, my goal the entire time was to sabotage the mission. In the end however, I wasn’t chosen. They selected a man named Wu Yifan, a real psychopath with a crazy lust for blood. As they continued his rigorous training, I spent 6 years training myself. I knew he fully intended to follow through with the operation, I couldn’t let that happen.”

“Did you assassinate him?” Sehun asked with a monotone voice.

Baekhyun laughed, “No, I probably should have though, but I didn’t want to make a scene. My main goal was getting to Earth. I stole the Exo Suit, but Dr. G caught me in the act. Luckily, he was supportive of my actions. He is the one sending me my missions. My original intentions may have been just to visit the Earth, but I fully intend on using my suit to protect this planet and stop OZ.”

Baekhyun went over to the bed to sit down, Sehun watched him as he stepped across the room. He let out a sigh as he got comfortable. There was a long moment of silence before Baekhyun looked back over at Sehun.

“Well, I’ve told you pretty much everything about me. What about you Sehun? …Can you tell me about your past?”

Sehun paused, “Why do you care?”

“I want to know more about you.” Baekhyun answered with a smile, “Do you mind telling me?”

“I’ll tell you if you want to hear it. No one has ever asked me before.”

Baekhyun stared at him with a sympathetic expression, “No one?”

Sehun shook his head slowly.

“Please, I really want to hear it.”

Sehun suddenly stood up and came over to Baekhyun to sit down next to him. Baekhyun stared at him in surprise at the unnecessary move.

“Since I was very young, I’ve been taught a wide range of battle strategies. I was brought up as a professional assassin.”

Baekhyun paused, remembering the vision of Sehun as a child sitting inside the Exo Suit, “What happened to your parents?”

“I was raised by my mother and her husband. They were both agents working for OZ.”

“What about your father?”

“My father was also an OZ agent, my mother was in a secret relationship with him. Her husband found out about them once she became pregnant with me.”

“…But her husband still raised you?”

Sehun paused, “Yes, but he hated me.”

_**Sehun’s mother knelt down next to Sehun, only a small child at the time. Sehun’s head was lowered, staring at the baseball he was tightly holding in his hands. The window behind them was shattered, broken pieces of glass scattered on the floor. His mother held onto him and looked over at Sehun’s Stepfather, who was standing in front of them.** _

_**“It was just an accident.”** _

_**“No it wasn’t! He’s always doing shit like this, he just wants to piss me off!”** _

_**“Liang!”** _

_**Sehun dropped the ball and ran into his room. He dived into his bed and hid himself under the covers. The door to his room was still cracked open, and he could hear his Mother and Stepfather continuing their argument.** _

_**“I can’t take this anymore! That little bastard isn’t even mine! Why should I be expected to help raise him!?”** _

_**“Liang please, I thought we went over this.”** _

_**“You go off and fuck some random guy while I’m off on a mission, and I’m just suppose to be OK with all this?!”** _

_**“Look, it’s not like I wanted a kid either! It just happened.”** _

_**“It didn’t ‘just happen’ you whore! How many men do you ‘just happen’ to fuck when I leave?!”** _

_**“It was only Kwong-Ku! It’s over now, ok?”** _

_**Sehun curled up into a ball under his sheets, covering his ears as tears began rolling down his cheeks.** _

Baekhyun stared over at Sehun in shock, he reached out his hand to touch Sehun’s leg, “…Sehun, that’s so horrible…I’m sorry you were raised in that kind of environment…”

Sehun ignored him as he continued his story, “They both died in battle. I was six when I went to live with my father.”

Baekhyun wondered how Sehun could tell him all these horrible things without even a slight fluctuation of his expression.

“Sehun, I’m so sorry.”

“My father and I made a contract, he used me as an alibi. He’s the one who first taught me how to use a gun and survive on my own.”

_**A young Sehun stood next to his Father inside a space shuttle port. Kwong-Ku put down a violin case to be checked and handed over his ID to the security guard.** _

_**“Kwong-Ku. You’re a musician?”** _

_**“Used to be, now I just carry it around as a hobby. I’m traveling with my son.”** _

_**The security guard didn’t even bother checking the violin case, and began typing on his computer.** _

_**“Your destination is X-18999. I thought that colony wasn’t completed yet?”** _

_**“Like it says. We’re not going there for a vacation.”** _

_**The security guard handed him his ID back, “A former musician, doing hard labor like colony construction?”** _

_**“I’ve been told I’m an odd one.”** _

_**Kwong-Ku grabbed the ID from the guard and picked up his violin case. He looked down at Sehun.** _

_**“Let’s go.”** _

_**They walked off, and Kwong-Ku leaned over to put his arm on Sehun’s shoulder. He spoke to him quietly.** _

_**“Hey, try to act a bit more like family, eh? That’s our contract.”** _

_**“Hm…Okay Dad.” Sehun formed an artificial smile.** _

Baekhyun paused, he spoke slowly in disbelief, “…I can’t believe he made a contract with you…”

“I was a good asset to him. No one suspected him of being an assassin if he had a young child with him.”

_**Sehun and Kwong-Ku were standing in a hotel room together. Sehun was looking out the window into space as Kwong-Ku dealt with their luggage. Kwong-Ku opened his music case and pulled out the violin, revealing a hidden gun underneath.** _

_**“Why did you come to this colony?” Sehun asked as he continued staring out the window.** _

_**Kwong-Ku picked up the gun from his case, “To abandon you. Soon there will be a coup d’etat here. You’ll take advantage of the confusion to settle down at this colony. You know how. I’ve taught you everything you need to survive.”** _

_**Sehun turned to look at him, “Who are you going to kill this time?”** _

_**“Septem, a pacifist. This will be my last job. So you should go to school and live a normal life.”** _

_**“I’ll decide what I’m going to do.”** _

_**Kwong-Ku laughed, “Yeah, well, here’s one last bit of advice. No matter what happens, follow your feelings. However carefully you plan something, you never know if some fool is going to change the future. So, you may as well do what your heart tells you, so you won’t regret it later. That’s the right path, for people who live life in the present.”** _

Baekhyun paused thinking to himself, _“That’s the advice he gave me earlier…”_

“I’m sure you realize that Kwong-Ku failed his mission in assassinating Septem. I never saw him again. After that I tried to survive on the colony on my own.”

_**Sehun wandered the colony, his clothes were tattered and dirty. He held his stomach in pain from his desperate hunger and paused as he looked into the window of a small grocery store. He thought for a moment before he decided to go inside. He pulled some food off the shelves and hid them inside his shirt. He walked out without getting caught, and ran into an alley to quickly pull out the food to begin eating it.** _

_**He sat down to eat his small meal, and quickly devoured it. Finally satiated, he was able to concentrate on falling asleep. He huddled into a corner and wrapped his arms around himself as he shivered from the cold. Closing his eyes, he was eventually able to drift off to sleep.** _

_**When he awoke, something flashing caught his eye. He looked over and spotted someone standing around the corner a good distance from himself. They were holding a small mirror, shifting it around in their hand to cause the light to bounce on it. Sehun knew they must have been using it as a signal. Without making a sound, he carefully climbed a stack of boxes to watch from above. Sehun noticed an old man at the other end of the alley, he walked along using his cane for support.** _

_**The two men met up with each other and the younger one handed a large box to the elderly man. He opened it to check it’s contents, and Sehun saw that the box contained some small rare parts used for a mobile suit. After examining it, the elderly man handed a wad of cash to the other man.** _

_**The younger man disappeared, and the elderly man smiled as he turned to face the stack of boxes.** _

_**“Hey kid, you’re pretty good at sneaking around.”** _

_**Sehun sat up, no longer trying to hide himself, “Apparently not good enough.”** _

_**The man laughed, “I may be old, but I have a pretty sharp eye. I know talent when I see it…You’re no ordinary kid.”** _

_**Sehun stared at the man silently.** _

_**“It would be a shame to put that talent to waste, what do you say, want to become an Exo Pilot?”** _

_**“Sure.”** _

Baekhyun started to rub Sehun’s leg a little, “…Of course you agreed…anything is better than starving on the streets.”

Sehun remained silent, still carrying his usual blank expression. Baekhyun paused staring at him.

“…Sehun…How can you tell me all this with such a straight face? It doesn’t seem like any of these painful memories bother you.”

Sehun hesitated for a long moment, “…I screwed up one of my missions.”

Baekhyun stared at him curiously, wondering what that statement had to do with his question.

_**Sehun, now around the age of eleven, was inside an OZ base located on the colonies. After planting a few explosives, Sehun snuck out of the base and leapt over the wire fence to escape. A small girl spotted him hopping the tall fence and let out a sound expressing how impressed she was. Sehun hid behind a wall to catch his breath, smiling a little to himself pleased with his success. The small girl followed him and stared up at him. Sehun looked down at her in surprise and the girl giggled.** _

_**“Hi there! Are you lost?”** _

_**Sehun noticed she was holding a leash attached to a small dog. Sehun spent a moment staring at the young puppy.** _

_**“I said, are you lost?”** _

_**Sehun stared back at her with a cold expression, “I’ve been lost ever since the day I was born.”** _

_**“Oh, that’s so sad. Well, I’m not lost at all. I’m taking my puppy out for a walk.”** _

_**The little girl leaned down to pet her dog and giggled when it jumped onto her lap to lick her face. Sehun smiled slightly as he watched them. The puppy suddenly pulled the girl off in another direction and she followed it laughing.** _

_**Later that night, Sehun returned to the base and stood next to the tall wire fence. He was holding a detonation switch in his hand, and pressed it with his thumb. Explosions began cascading throughout the OZ facility.** _

_**“Mission accomplished.”** _

_**Sehun turned to walk away from the destruction of the base, the buildings burning and mobile suits exploding behind him. A loud explosion caused Sehun to turn around, and his eyes widened as he saw a mobile suit collapse over the fence and crash into a nearby residential building. A large explosion occurred, and Sehun covered his face with his arms.** _

_**Once the fire had died down, Sehun walked through the cooled rubble and bent steel of the building, ash falling all around him. There were many dead bodies laying on the ground, all innocent civilians. Sehun examined the wreckage until his eyes landed on a charred brown teddy bear, and then the dead body of a young girl. Sehun went over to the girl and bent down next to her, recognizing her from earlier that day.** _

“…I remember…feeling sad…That’s when Dr. J altered my genes to suppress my human emotions.”

Baekhyun stared at Sehun in dismay, tears in his eyes from the horrible story Sehun had told him, “…Suppress your emotions?”

“It is unnecessary for weapons to have human emotions like empathy and kindness.”

Baekhyun grabbed onto Sehun’s leg as he leaned closer to him, “You’re not a weapon Sehun! You’re a person!”

Sehun’s face remained blank, he didn’t seem affected by Baekhyun’s words. Baekhyun swallowed deeply, trying to cope with his own emotions. Baekhyun couldn’t believe the idea that feeling sad was only a faint memory to Sehun, even if it was an unpleasant emotion. No wonder Sehun acted this way.

Sehun continued, “…I couldn’t handle it…The guilt…The sadness…I tried to kill myself.”

Baekhyun paused, staring at him, “…Sehun…”

“Dr. J stopped me. He told me that if I wanted to die, I should make my death useful. That’s when he performed the operation on me to suppress my emotions.”

_**Sehun woke up inside what looked like a hospital room, lying in a small cot. There were many sensors attached to his head.** _

_**“All right, lets see if this really worked. Go ahead, sit up.” Dr. J instructed him.** _

_**Sehun sat up, staring blankly. There was a projector in the room, Dr. J started pushing a button and images flashed on the wall. Sehun witnessed pictures of people who were crying, people who were happy, people who were angry, people kissing, people hitting each other, people celebrating. The slideshow ended with a vision of dead bodies. Sehun continued staring blankly. Dr. J was watching his brain waves, there was no fluctuation.** _

_**Sehun thought to himself as he stared at the images, “…I feel…nothing.”** _

Baekhyun scooted closer to Sehun and wrapped his arms around him, still with tears in his eyes.

“…It’s not fair…I’m sorry Sehun…”

Sehun remained silent and Baekhyun gripped onto him tighter. 

“…I’ll show you…I’ll show you what real life is like.”

“That’s not important. I need to focus on my mission.”

Baekhyun moved away from Sehun to look into his eyes, “Forget your missions, this is way more important!”

“People’s lives are at stake.” Sehun answered as he turned to look into Baekhyun’s eyes.

Baekyan paused staring deeply at Sehun’s cold blank expression. The idea that Sehun didn’t feel anything…Baekhyun couldn’t imagine what that was like. Of all the senses to rob from someone, there was nothing worse than that.

Baekyan’s lip trembled a little as he spoke, “…Do you really feel nothing?”

“My emotions are just suppressed, not completely gone.”

Baekhyun’s voice shook a little as he spoke, “…Do you feel anything right now?”

Sehun paused, “Yes. Sometimes I feel small fluctuations in my mood, but most of the time I don’t know what they are.”

Baekhyun looked back and forth between Sehun’s eyes, “Do you think it’s possible to wake them back up?”

“I don’t know.”

“…Is there anything that made you feel especially emotional lately?”

Sehun thought for a moment, “When you said my name.”

Baekhyun’s heart tightened at those words, he wasn’t expecting something he had done to have an effect on Sehun.

“…Did it make you happy?”

Sehun paused thinking again, “…Yes.”

Baekhyun pressed his lips together, he wondered how long it had been since Sehun even felt the small amount of happiness received from hearing his own name.

They sat in silence for a long moment as Baekhyun thought to himself about everything Sehun had told him. Sehun stood up from the bed, feeling like they were done talking. He made his way back over to the computer and Baekhyun watched him curiously. He took a deep breath and wiped his eyes before speaking.

“What are doing?”

“I’ve been tracking down the Noventa family.”

Baekhyun grimaced at hearing the name, remembering how Sehun had been tricked into killing the pacifist Marshall. He wondered if any similar feelings resurfaced for Sehun from the time he destroyed the building full of innocent people.

“What for?”

“There’s something I need to do.”

Baekhyun stood up and came over to Sehun, standing behind him to look at the screen. 

“That's Sylvia Noventa. She’s in Paris.” Sehun informed him.

“You want to speak with her?”

“Yes.”

Baekhyun paused for a long moment staring at the picture and then nodded, “I’ll go with you.”

Sehun reached for the USB drive to remove it, but flinched in pain and dropped it onto the floor. Baekhyun knelt down to pick it up, handing it back to Sehun with a concerned expression. Sehun grabbed it from him as he gripped onto his arm in pain.

“Here, let’s have dinner so you can take some more medicine.”

Sehun nodded as Baekhyun left for the kitchen.


	10. Sehun's Atonement

Sehun and Baekhyun walked behind a young woman who was leading them through a graveyard. They were both dressed in nice dress shirts, Baekhyun had bought Sehun one so Sehun would look a little more presentable in front of Noventa’s relatives. He had discovered that Sehun did not own any clothes besides his school uniform and the battle suit he always wore on missions.

The woman, Sylvia Noventa, suddenly stopped and pointed to one of the graves, “This is my grandfather's grave.”

Sehun read the inscription before he bent down and placed some flowers on the grave, he paused for a moment and Baekhyun stared down at him nervously.

“You wanted to talk to me…?” Sylvia asked after waiting for a long moment.

Sehun stood up and reached inside his shirt to pull out a gun, Sylvia was alarmed at first, until Sehun held out the gun for her to take.

“I was the one who killed Marshal Noventa.”

She stared at the gun momentarily before looking into Sehun’s eyes, “…You?”

“This is the only thing I can do for you now.”

Sylvia’s expression hardened as she clenched her fist for a moment in anger. She suddenly ripped the gun out of Sehun’s hand and pointed it at him, “How could you?!”

Baekhyun nervously stepped closer, watching her movements carefully. Even though this was Sehun’s plan, Baekhyun fully intended on stopping anyone who tried to go through with it.

“I can't undo my mistake. I hope the anger felt by the Marshal's loved ones can be somewhat eased if you pull that trigger.”

“You're such a coward! You obviously just wanna take the easy way out of this!”

Sehun paused, he had no response to that statement. Sylvia’s eyes began to fill with tears as she lowered the gun.

“You coward! You coward!”

Sylvia sobbed for a moment and Baekhyun raised his hand to gently touch Sehun’s arm, letting him know she didn’t posses the courage to go through with it. Sehun stepped forward to take the gun from her, and she continued sobbing as she let it slip out of her hands.

“I'm going to pay a visit to your all your relations. I heard they live in Sicily.”

“Yes.” Sylvia answered weakly.

Baekhyun joined Sehun and they walked off together, leaving Sylvia as she crumpled to the ground to continue crying on her grandfather’s grave.  
  
  


——————————

 

Sehun and Baekhyun approached the front desk inside a hotel lobby, still dressed in their nice attire. Sehun placed his hand on the desk as he began speaking.

“Vorremmo una camera doppia per favore.” _(We would like a room for two please.)_

Baekhyun stared over at Sehun in awe, entirely unprepared for him to start speaking in Italian.

The woman behind the desk started typing, “L'unica doppia che abbiamo, é una camera matrimoniale.” _(The only room for two people we have left has only one bed.)_

“Va bene.” _(That is fine.)_ Sehun answered as Baekhyun continued gawking at him.

The woman giggled as she stared at them, “É il tuo ragazzo? Siete una bella coppia.” _(Is this your boyfriend? You make a cute couple.)_

Sehun looked over at Baekhyun and paused for a moment. Baekhyun smiled back at him, he had no idea what they were talking about, but he anxiously waited for Sehun to respond, his ears yearning to be soothed by the seductive sound of Sehun’s voice once more as he uttered the foreign language. However, before Sehun could answer, the woman handed Sehun the room key.

“Vi auguro una buona permanenza!” _(Enjoy your stay!)_

Baekhyun sighed as Sehun took the key and began to walk off without responding.

Sehun and Baekhyun opened their door to discover a nice country style room with a small balcony. Sehun put down their bags and Baekhyun turned to look at him.

“You can speak Italian?!”

“Yes, I’m fluent in many languages.”

Baekhyun let out a small sound expressing his amazement, “I only know one.”

Sehun started moving their bags and Baekhyun looked over at the small iron balcony. There were some vines clinging to it, and the leaves trickled through the bars to hang below. Baekhyun smiled and ran over to it, opening the door to step outside. He held onto the railing as he looked around at the city in excitement. Sehun eventually came to join him outside and stood next to Baekhyun as he continued admiring the city. Baekhyun turned to look at him and smiled.

“I’m so excited to be in Italy! Is it all right if we do a little sight seeing?”

“We’re not here on vacation.”

Baekhyun pouted, “All right, I understand. I’ll just have to enjoy what I do see.”  
  
  


——————————

 

A few bodyguards led Baekhyun and Sehun through a large expansive garden towards the front gate.The gate was opened and they exited the mansion together. Baekhyun sighed in relief as he checked off the last name on a list of eleven people.

“That was the last stop. Do you feel better?”

“It's not that simple.”

“…I can’t say I understand how you feel…But Sehun, it only happened because you were tricked by OZ…To put your life in the hands of your victim's family…”

“That's what I want.”

Sehun began to walk off and Baekhyun paused for a moment before following him. He was at least glad this was finally over.

They made their way to the crowded city market. Baekhyun spotted a cart with flowers and smiled as he pulled on Sehun’s arm to walk over to it. Flowers were always one of the things Baekhyun was most jealous of, even though he could look at photos of them, he could never experience the way they smelled. He wanted to smell each and every one of them.

Baekhyun lowered his head as he smelled some daisies, Sehun stood next to him silently and watched him. The shop lady giggled once she noticed their presence.

“Il tuo ragazzo vorrebbe un bel fiore. Perché non gliene compri uno?” _(Your boyfriend wants a pretty flower, why not buy him one?)_

Sehun looked up at her, “Non ho soldi.” _(I don’t have any money.)_

Baekhyun paused his quest to smell each flower, overcome with excitement at hearing Sehun’s voice. He watched Sehun closely, highly anticipating his next sentence.

The shop lady pouted, “Stai attento o ti lascerà. Devi viziarlo ogni tanto. E tu non vuoi perdere un ragazzo come lui, vero?” _(Be careful. He is going to leave you. You need to spoil him every once in a while. You do not want to lose a pretty boy like him, right?)_

“Non é il mio ragazzo.” _(He is not my boyfriend.)_

The lady covered her mouth in surprise, “Oh scusa, mi dispiace!” _(I am sorry, forgive me!)_

Sehun nodded and then started walking off, Baekhyun watched him for moment, disappointed that the conversation had been cut short. Baekhyun bowed a little to the woman before he went to follow Sehun.

“What were you talking about?”

“She thought we were boyfriends. She was trying to get me to buy you a flower.”

Baekhyun laughed, “Really? Sorry about that.”

Sehun glanced behind them at a small car, “I don’t care.”

Baekhyun smiled, feeling a little giddy that someone confused them for boyfriends.

“That’s what the lady at the hotel thought too…Why does everyone think we are dating?”

Baekhyun nervously laughed, “I guess because we’re alone on this trip together.”

Sehun paused and glanced over at the car again. Baekhyun stopped once he noticed Sehun wasn’t moving. Sehun leaned in towards Baekhyun to whisper in his ear.

“Someone is following us.”

Baekhyun received a small chill from Sehun’s breath tickling his ear. He bit down on his lip as he smiled to himself, ignoring the current issue to dwell on the moment. Baekhyun’s craving for Sehun was extremely undernourished, and the pleasure acquired from such a small interaction was amplified due to the limited amount of contact between the two of them, especially instigated by Sehun.

Sehun glanced around and spotted some OZ motorcycles parked on the street, a soldier was standing next to them. Baekhyun followed Sehun’s eyes and spotted them as well.

Baekhyun nodded, “Got it. Try not to overdo it in your state.”

Sehun and Baekhyun ran towards the bikes, the car noticed and accelerated towards them, but a large truck suddenly blocked their vision. 

As Baekhyun began to hijack one of the bikes, the soldier guarding them noticed and went to grab him.

“Hey!”

Before he could reach Baekhyun, Sehun suddenly stepped in his way. The soldier raised his fist to punch Sehun, but Sehun grabbed his hand and held it in place. The soldier’s fist began shaking as he tried to move it, but it was no use, Sehun’s grip over him was too strong. The guard raised his other hand to punch Sehun, but Sehun blocked him once again. Sehun suddenly let go of his fists to pick the soldier up off the ground and flip him over his shoulder, throwing him to the ground.

Baekhyun smirked to himself as he watched their battle, fully aware that Sehun was injured, yet he was still able to easily defeat the guard.

On the ground, the guard drew his gun and desperately pointed it at Sehun. Sehun kicked the gun out of his hands and leaned over to punch the soldier in the face, making him pass out. Baekhyun bit his lip, staring at Sehun with a lusty expression as Sehun mounted the other motorcycle.

Once the truck had finally gotten out of the car’s vision, Sehun was gone and Baekhyun was facing them on his motorcycle in the street waiting.

Baekhyun revved his engine and pulled into an alley, the car quickly sped after him. As the car chased behind him through the narrow passageway, Baekhyun performed a back flip off the motorcycle and landed behind the car as it continued following his bike. The motorcycle flew off into the bay, and the car crashed, barely missing falling into the water as well. As Baekhyun watched from the alley, he was abruptly pulled onto Sehun’s motorcycle as Sehun drove past him, using one arm to set Baekhyun on the back of the bike.

“There are more.”

Baekhyun smirked as he wrapped one of his hands around Sehun’s waist to hold onto him. He looked behind himself and spotted another motorcycle chasing them. Baekhyun used his free hand to pull out his gun. Sehun joined normal traffic in the street and started weaving between cars.

Baekhyun took aim with his gun and started shooting at the other motorcycle, but he was having a difficult time with all the movement. At the sound of Baekhyun’s gunfire, people walking by on the sidewalk had started screaming and running. The cars had also begun to swerve around the road in fear, making it difficult for Sehun to drive.

The other motorcyclist pulled out his gun and started shooting as well, but he also failed to hit his mark. Sehun cut through another alley and the motorcycle caught up to them, driving closely next to them. Baekhyun kicked out his leg and planted it on the opposing bike to push them into the wall, causing their bike to crash and explode behind them as they drove off.

Sehun made his way back to normal traffic again and they both spotted two more motorcycles driving towards them. Sehun analyzed his surroundings before he decided to turn onto a larger road.

“Hold on.”

Baekhyun wrapped both his arms around him and Sehun made a sharp turn, leaning so low that one of his knees was almost touching the ground. However, despite his drastic move, he failed to shake the motorcycles behind them. They continued chasing after them, also succeeding in making the sharp turn. Sehun looked back at them momentarily before he drove over the barricade to start driving into oncoming traffic. Cars honked and swerved out of their way as Sehun skillfully maneuvered through the chaos. Baekhyun was surprised to see the motorcycles continue to follow them.

Baekhyun started firing at them again, he took a few shots before his gun started clicking on empty. Baekhyun grunted in frustration and lowered his gun, tucking it back into his holster. He paused thinking for a moment before a mischievous smirk suddenly covered his face. Baekhyun reached forward into Sehun’s pants and grabbed his pistol, enjoying the thought of the delicious metaphor. 

“Just a second, hold on!” Baekhyun yelled loudly.

Baekhyun grabbed one of Sehun’s hands and moved it off the steering, he placed his own hand on the handle to balance himself as he snuck one of his legs in front of Sehun and plopped onto his lap to face the view behind them. Sehun returned his hand to the steering once Baekhyun was seated.

Although this was helpful for Baekhyun to get a better view behind them, Baekhyun wasn’t denying to himself that it was mostly for the enjoyment of sitting on Sehun’s lap. The bumps on the road were highly appreciated and added immensely to Baekhyun’s already aroused state. Baekhyun smiled to himself as he continued firing at the motorcycles behind them, he was so glad he became a soldier. 

Baekhyun managed to hit one of the motorcycle’s tires, causing it to flip and explode on the mostly empty road. Sehun spotted the entrance to another alley and turned into it, ending up in a market place. Sehun quickly looked around for the best route to take and made his way over to a staircase. People dove out of the way screaming as Sehun drove up the stairs through the mass of people. Baekhyun held onto Sehun tightly, deeply enjoying the feeling of bouncing on Sehun’s lap and wishing the stairs were longer. Once they had finished climbing them, Sehun weaved through a crowd of people as Baekhyun scanned for the motorcycle, but he had lost sight of it.

The motorcycle suddenly popped up in front of them, and Sehun swerved to make his way towards a stack of objects. He popped a wheelie to get on top of the objects and the slope of it allowed Sehun to drive onto the roof. The other motorcycle followed them as they sped along the rooftops. As their motorcycle drove across the roof tiles, Baekhyun once again enjoyed the bumpy ride.

Sehun spotted a large open window and made his way towards it, “I’m going to jump.”

Baekhyun nodded and held onto Sehun tightly with both his arms. Sehun revved the motorcycle and raced full speed towards the edge of the roof, lifting the front tire as they flew off. They made it through the window and the tires smacked hard against the ground as they landed inside a large warehouse.The other motorcycle attempted the jump, but didn’t have enough speed and ended up smacking into the building. Sehun and Baekhyun heard the sound of an explosion behind them as Sehun turned the bike to slow down. Once they came to a stop Sehun grunted in pain as he grabbed his arm. Baekhyun looked down and noticed he was bleeding.

“Sehun!”

Baekhyun started to reach for it but stopped when he heard the sound of clapping. From a dark corner of the warehouse, a man suddenly approached them.

“Nicely done. I didn't expect you to be alive, Wu Shi Xun. It's the first time we've met face to face.”

Baekhyun quickly raised gun at him. The man smiled and ignored Baekhyun’s threat.

“My name is Kim Minseok. I serve under Lt. Jongdae.”

“Lt. Jongdae?” Sehun asked as he continued to hold onto his arm.

“The pilot you fought against as you entered the Earth’s atmosphere. He wants to meet with you.”

“Trying to pump us for information or something?” Baekhyun scoffed.

“Don't misunderstand me. He's not speaking as an OZ soldier. He wants to see you as a fellow mobile suit pilot. He hopes for another chance to fight you.”

“For what reason?” Sehun asked as his arm continued to bleed and soak his shirt.

Minseok paused for a short moment, “…OZ has ordered for Lt. Jongdae to be executed. He went against OZ to free his homeland from military rule…Instead of being executed, he wishes to die in an honorable fight against a worthy opponent.”

“Where is he?”

Baekhyun looked over at Sehun in surprise, “You’re going to trust him?”

Sehun nudged his head towards the opening of the warehouse, there were a group of men holding guns waiting for them. Baekhyun sighed and lowered his own weapon.

“I guess my mobile suit will come in handy.”

Minseok nodded, “You can use my carrier.”  
  
  


——————————

 

Inside Minseok’s carrier, Sehun was seated inside Baekhyun’s Exo Suit, acquainting himself with Baekhyun’s controls. Baekhyun was sitting on the open door of the cockpit. Sehun moved the left arm control stick and cringed in pain, Baekhyun watched him with concern.

“Do the arms automatically balance for the extra weight?” Sehun asked ignoring his arm.

“No, I purposely avoided that. Instead, I've had it at my fingertips so I'll have a speed advantage during battle.”

“Makes sense.”

Sehun moved the right arm and then looked up at Baekhyun, “Sorry. Normally we wouldn't let others touch our own mobile suits.”

“…You’ve said that before. I’m not as attached to my suit as you seem to be.”

Sehun paused, “…My suit is the closet thing I’ve ever had to a home.”

Baekhyun stared at him sympathetically, watching as Sehun continued operating the controls. He was surprised Sehun even thought of it that way, considering he actually had a home at one point. 

Baekhyun didn’t know what was worse, the fact that not even Sehun counted that horrible environment he was raised in as a home, or that Sehun’s place of comfort was inside a machine made for war.  
  
  


——————————

 

Sehun and Baekhyun were changing in the locker room, the carrier was reaching cold temperatures and they were informed they would need to wear more layers of clothing. Sehun went to put on his jacket and cringed when he attempted to put on the left arm. His bandage began to soak with blood. Baekhyun came over to him and carefully reached for his arm.

Sehun stayed still as Baekhyun removed his soiled bandage to put on a new one. Once he finished, Baekhyun helped Sehun finish getting dressed. He smiled to himself as he zipped up Sehun’s coat, he was glad Sehun allowed him to do all this.

As they came out to stand next to Baekhyun’s suit, Minseok approached them with some hot cocoa and handed it to them. 

“I can't have our special guests catch a cold.”

Baekhyun took a sip and then rested his head on Sehun’s shoulder.

“Where are we headed?”

Baekhyun opened his mouth to gently bite Sehun’s shoulder. Minseok paused, staring at them curiously as his eyes shifted back and forth. 

“…The South Pole.”

Baekhyun’s eyebrows scrunched up, “Why?”

“It's the only place to have a battle and go unnoticed.”  
  
  


——————————

 

Once the carrier landed at the isolated snow base, they began to unload Baekhyun’s Exo Suit. Sehun and Baekhyun were brought inside to greet Lt. Jongdae. Minseok approached Jongdae casually without saluting him.

“I've brought Wu Shi Xun as requested.”

“Thank you.” Jongdae smiled at him before he turned his attention to Sehun. “I’m Kim Jongdae.”

Jongdae paused once he noticed Baekhyun standing next to him, “Who is this?”

“Bian Boxian, the pilot of Exo Suit 02.” Minseok answered.

_“They’re both just kids…”_ Jongdae thought to himself in amazement.

They began to walk down the hallway together, Jongdae and Minseok in front as Sehun and Baekhyun followed behind them.

“We've prepared a friendly reception for you. Try to make yourselves at home.”

Jongdae opened the door in front of them to reveal a large mobile suit dock, Sehun’s Exo Suit was standing inside. Sehun’s eyes widened a little.

“My suit…”

“We stole it from your recent battle, I had my men repair it for you. I want to make sure we are evenly matched. After repairing your suit, they were able to modify my own using the specs from yours.”

Baekhyun rested his head on Sehun’s shoulder again, he hated this entire situation. He really just wanted Sehun to have a chance to heal.

“When do we start?”

“Tomorrow morning. It’s unfortunate that you’re injured, but I can’t wait any longer, OZ is out looking for me.”  
  
  


——————————

 

Baekhyun sat down next to Sehun on the bed to replace his bandage again. Sehun closed his eyes, relaxing for a moment. Baekhyun worked slowly, staring at Sehun’s face. He wondered if Sehun enjoyed his touch at all, he imagined there was never really a time anyone had pampered him like this before. Baekhyun let his fingers gently skim across Sehun’s skin, caressing his arm as he abandoned the task of wrapping the bandage. He continued watching Sehun, and noticed his face twitch slightly as his body shivered in response to Baekhyun’s touch. Baekhyun smiled to himself as he let his fingers continue to gently stroke his arm, enjoying the feeling of his strong muscles.

There was a sudden knock at the door before Minseok opened it and stepped inside, holding a tray of food.

“Your dinner.”

Minseok put the tray down on the table before he turned to leave. Baekhyun sighed and returned to his task of replacing the bandage. Once he finished he got up and started taking the food off the tray to place it on the table.

As Baekhyun finished his meal, he looked up to see that Sehun’s was barely touched.

“You should finish your food. You’ll need all your energy for the battle tomorrow.”

Sehun paused, “It doesn’t taste good.”

Baekhyun laughed, he didn’t expect Sehun to be picky. He reached into his pocket to grab a bottle of pills and took two out to hand them to Sehun. Sehun took them from him and swallowed them.  
  
  


——————————

 

Late that night, Sehun was busy working on his suit, making some adjustments to it for the upcoming battle. He wiped some sweat from his brow as he continued tightening some pieces on the left arm. Baekhyun approached him with a tray of food and put it down next to him. He stared at Sehun for a moment, noticing the sweat and small marks of grease covering his face and body. Sehun had removed his arms from the sleeves of his battle suit and let the top hang around his waist, exposing his arms and upper body.

Baekhyun watched Sehun as he continued working, admiring the way the moisture from his sweat shimmered on his arms as he flexed his muscles. Baekhyun took a cloth out of his pocket and came closer to him to gently pat Sehun’s face, wiping off the sweat. He stared down at Sehun’s exposed collar bones, which were also glistening with moisture. He bit his lip as he let the cloth fall down Sehun’s neck and press on his chest. 

Sehun took the cloth from him and began rubbing the back of his neck with it, moaning a little in exhaustion. Baekhyun took a deep breath as he watched him, extremely aroused by the sight of him. Sehun continued wiping himself a little before throwing the cloth down to continue working.

“You should take a break and eat.” Baekhyun spoke slowly, watching a bead of sweat drip down Sehun’s temple.

Sehun hesitated, he was tempted by the smell of the delicious food. Baekhyun smiled as Sehun stared at it.

“Don’t worry, I made it this time. They let me use the kitchen. I don’t want you going hungry.”

Baekhyun sat next to Sehun and ate with him, smiling to himself that Sehun enjoyed his cooking. Sehun finished the entire bowl and then went back to working on his suit. Baekhyun continued to sit and watch him.

Sehun cringed and dropped his tool, grabbing onto his arm in pain again. Baekhyun stood up to come over to him, and Sehun turned to look at his face.

“What time is it?”

“2:32 a.m.” Baekhyun paused, “Sehun, I know you don’t like other people touching your suit, but please let me take over. You need to rest.”

There was a moment of silence before Sehun nodded, “I appreciate it.”

Baekhyun smiled, it seemed that Sehun really did trust him. Sehun left for their room and Baekhyun watched after him with concern. Once he was gone, Baekhyun started working on the suit.

“…This weight will be tough for his left arm to handle.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would like to send a giant thank you to Moonharu for translating the Italian for me! She was so kind to offer to do this, and I'm just so grateful for her help! Thanks to her, the Italian in this story is completely authentic! ♡♡♡
> 
> I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter :) I spent some time writing that motorcycle chase scene (Only the opening part with the backflip is in the original) I hope it wasn’t confusing. I just couldn’t resist adding more of that in~


	11. More Important Than The Earth

When Sehun awoke the next morning, he noticed that Baekhyun wasn’t there, it seemed he never went to bed that night. Sehun entered the mobile dock and found Baekhyun finishing the preparations on Sehun’s suit. Baekhyun smiled at Sehun once he noticed him standing behind him.

“Good morning.”

Sehun nodded and then looked up at his suit, staring at it for a long moment. Baekhyun came over to him.

“Did you sleep well?”

“Yes, thank you.”

Baekhyun paused smiling at him, “Of course, I’m glad you let me help. I made some revisions to your suit to put less strain on your left arm, I hope you don’t mind.”

Sehun began walking over to his suit, “I appreciate it.”

Baekhyun watched as Sehun climbed the suit and sat inside the cockpit. Baekhyun climbed the suit as well to stand on the door in front of Sehun. He leaned inside and pointed at one of the switches on Sehun’s controls.

“When you run out of ammo, click that switch. It'll make the left arm lighter.”

Sehun nodded. Baekhyun stared at Sehun tenderly as Sehun started strapping himself to the seat.

“Be careful.”

Sehun finished buckling himself in and looked up at Baekhyun, “Mm.”  
  
  


——————————

 

Baekhyun and Minseok watched from the observation tower as Sehun and Jongdae began their fight. Baekhyun could tell Sehun was struggling, his fighting skill was no where near what it usually was. Baekhyun cringed each time one of Jongdae’s shot’s hit Sehun’s suit.

Sehun’s arm was throbbing in pain, and it didn’t take long for it to start bleeding again. Once he ran out of ammunition, he remembered what Baekhyun had told him. Sehun pushed the switch and the firearm dropped to the ground, revealing a beam saber. Sehun looked at it in surprise.

_“A beam saber, Byun went out of his way for me…”_

Jongdae smiled, “So you’re out of firepower? I prefer this anyway!”  
  
  


——————————

 

“Commander Minseok, there are numerous carriers approaching from 3 o’clock!”

“How many?” Minseok asked nervously.

“Over thirty, but that's only a portion of their fleet.”

“Get all the mobile suits ready! We'll attack!”

Jongdae turned and noticed the fleet of carriers approaching them. He paused staring at them as he clenched his teeth.

“Dammit, they already found me.”

Baekhyun dropped down onto the battleground in his own Exo Suit, standing next to Sehun.

“There are thirty suits in flight. A hundred if they unload all Aries suits. Each of us should be able to handle thirty easily.”

“No wait, let me handle this on my own. You don’t need to get involved in this. Just get out of here!” Jongdae responded.

Jongdae flew off towards the carries by himself. Sehun and Baekhyun watched as he left, and he was soon followed by Minseok’s backup mobile suits.

Baekhyun’s face appeared on Sehun’s monitor, “Let’s get out of here.”

Sehun nodded, “Mm.”

Baekhyun and Sehun made their way towards a carrier Minseok had already prepared for them. They loaded it with their mobile suits and quickly took off. Baekhyun sat at the controls, knowing Sehun was in no shape to fly. Sehun sat next to him and started to change his own bandage, using his mouth to tie it off.

Once they had gotten a good distance away, Baekhyun set the plane to autopilot. He went over to Sehun to help him properly clean his arm and wrap it. Suddenly he received a text message. Baekhyun paused to look at it, reading it quickly before handing it to Sehun.

“It’s for you.”

Sehun took it from him as Baekhyun continued wrapping his arm. The text was addressed from Mrs. Noventa.

_“Your sudden visit caught me off guard, and I didn't feel that I was able to express the true feelings in my heart._

_That's why I decided to write this letter._

_You made a mistake when your plan went awry in battle. But stop suffering over it. My husband died trying to build a world where genuine young men like yourselves could live happily._

_I have no regrets. That's what happens in war. A wrong turn in the past can be painful for anyone. But you people are still young! I hope you'll think about building a new future! Our family is honored to have met with you!_

_I pray the day will arrive when all battles cease._

_To my dear friend, Wu Shi Xun”_

Baekhyun smiled to himself as he watched Sehun read the letter, he wondered what Sehun thought of it. Sehun handed the phone back to Baekhyun and remained silent, thinking deeply to himself. Baekhyun finished wrapping the bandage and stood up to go back to the controls, but Sehun suddenly grabbed his arm. Baekhyun’s heart pounded in surprise as he stared down at Sehun’s hand holding onto him.

“You haven’t slept, let me take over.”

Baekhyun paused, touched by Sehun’s offer, but shook his head to refuse, “I’m fine, your arm is in bad shape, just let me do it.”

Sehun suddenly stood up and grabbed Baekhyun with his other hand, forcing Baekhyun down into his seat. For the first time Baekhyun got a taste of Sehun’s strength, and he could tell Sehun was only using a minuscule percentage of it. Baekhyun pressed his lips together to prevent himself from smiling as he looked up at Sehun. Sehun walked over to the controls and started flying the shuttle. Baekhyun bit his lip as he stared over at him for a bit before resting his head against the seat and closing his eyes. He really was exhausted. He fell asleep as he concentrated on the memory of Sehun’s strong hands holding him.  
  
  


——————————

 

Sehun was busy researching the news on his computer, it was late at night and his screen was the only thing lighting up the room. Baekhyun was asleep, his head laying on the desk next to him. Suddenly there was a beep on the computer, Sehun was surprised, like Baekhyun said they hadn’t received missions for a long time now. He quickly clicked on it to watch the video message from Dr. J.

“OZ has begun producing Mobile Dolls in outer space. It’s a new kind of suit that does not require a pilot. I’m really worried about this one. They must be destroyed at all costs. Come back to outer space immediately.”

Sehun turned off his computer and stood up to get dressed into his battle suit. When he was finished collecting the few things he needed, he looked over at Baekhyun who was still asleep on the desk.

_“This mission isn’t in his interest, he’s here to save Earth.”_

Sehun quietly slipped out of the room without Baekhyun noticing.  
  
  


——————————

 

Kyungsoo handed his letter of resignation to his sister Hyang Ki and she looked up at him in surprise.

“You’re leaving?”

Kyungsoo simply nodded to answer her. She paused, playing with the letter in her hands.

“You’d leave before you even told me?”

Kyungsoo looked at her curiously. She sat up from her chair as she took a deep breath.

“I overheard you talking to your friend. I guess you’re my little brother.”

Kyungsoo paused in surprise, he remained silent as he looked into her eyes.

“Tell me, are you going back to space?”

Kyungsoo nodded, “Yes, how did you know?”

“I didn’t, I was just hoping you were. I want to see our family again. I’m going too.”

Kyungsoo shook his head, “It’s too dangerous.”

“You’re right, it is dangerous.” She smiled as she reached into her pocket and pulled out her Identification card, “You should know that a doctor of my status has free roam to travel between Earth and the Colonies. You’re coming with me, it will be much safer this way.”  
  
  


——————————

 

Two soldiers saluted to Colonel Jongin before they opened the prison cell for him to enter. Jongin stepped inside to get a look at the prisoner. An old man was bound with handcuffs.

“So, this is the engineer?”

A soldier saluted Jongin again before speaking, “He was destroying an underground military equipment factory for manufacturing suits.”

“Destroying evidence?”

“Yes; unfortunately he'd destroyed it already.”

Jongin drew his gun to point it at the old man, “Were you the one who built the Exo Suits?”

“What a stupid way to ask a question.” The old man smiled.

“Just answer me! I think you're heavily involved with those four Exo Suits!”

“Nope. Not with the other three.”

“What do you mean?”

“I designed the best Mobile Suit I possibly could. Why would I make three other variations of it?”

“Are you saying you only made one?”

“Yeah! A masterpiece called ‘Exo Light.’”

“So it was a coincidence? A coincidence that the others were made at the same time?”

A soldier urgently ran into the jail cell to speak to Jongin, “Sir! Transmission from Earth! Exo Pilot O3 is attacking the Singapore Space Port Base!”

“What?!”

The old man smiled to himself, pleased to hear the news, “I figured they'd come home.”  
  
  


——————————

 

Baekhyun awoke uncomfortably, his neck hurting a little from his awkward position. It was daytime now, the sun was barely rising and it filled the room with a bright glow. He rubbed his neck as he looked around the room for Sehun.

Baekhyun suddenly noticed that Sehun’s things were missing. Baekhyun panicked as he continued scanning for Sehun, but he wasn’t there. Remembering that the last thing Sehun was doing was looking at the computer, Baekhyun quickly turned it on. It didn’t take long for him to discover the mission.

Baekhyun paused staring at the words _‘Come back to outer space immediately.’_

The one thing Baekhyun had spent his entire life trying to accomplish was getting to Earth. It was all he ever cared about.

Baekhyun took a deep breath as he felt the bottle of Sehun’s medication still inside his pocket. He stood up from his chair and started to collect his things. 

It suddenly became clear to him, something else had become more important to him than the Earth.  
  
  


——————————

 

“Get in there!” A soldier yelled as he shoved Dr. J into the jail cell along with the other three engineers.

They closed the door and the soldier turned to salute Colonel Jongin.

“We've confirmed the engineers' identity.”

“All four of them?”

“Yes, sir! As suspected, they were all involved in OZ mobile suit development, in the past.”

“…I see.”

“Shall we have a public trial?”

“No, there are other ways we can use them. After all, they're the engineers who built those Exo Suits. We'll have them make us a suit. A mobile suit that's more powerful than those Exo Suits.”  
  
  


——————————

 

_“Come here! I want to show you something!” Baekhyun giggled as he grabbed Sehun’s hand and started pulling him into the forest._

_Soon they were surrounded by a field of flowers, Baekhyun kneeled down to start smelling them. Sehun paused, watching Baekhyun’s happy face. Baekhyun looked up at him cheerfully._

_“Let’s stay here. I don’t want to leave.”_

_“I can’t.”_

_Baekhyun pouted, “Why not?”_

_“I don’t belong here.”_

_“Yes you do.” Baekhyun answered with a determined look on his face._

Suddenly an alarm startled Sehun awake. He sat up and reached for the alarm to turn it off. He paused for a moment, recalling his peculiar dream.

“…Byun.”

Sehun slowly got out of bed and made his way over to the window, looking out at the industrial colony. There was no plant life on the colonies, only cold metal.

Sehun got dressed in his school uniform and then made his way to the kitchen. He made himself a bowl of cereal and sat down at the empty table. He ate a few bites and then paused. He stood up, leaving the bowl mostly full, and walked over to the door to leave.  
  
  


——————————

 

Sehun sat in his class as his teacher lead a discussion at the head of the room.

“Mankind hasn't forgotten the sorrow caused by wars yet they haven't stopped fighting. The blood and tears they shed are merely ceremonial. One can't speak of history without referring to the wars in each era as important events. The pale pep talks of fighting for peace have been repeated numerous times in the past. So why do people fight? The meaning of existence could lie in their will to fight. People feel accomplishment through battle…”

Sehun trailed off in his own mind, remembering the vision of Baekhyun looking out the window and smiling at the trees.

_“They have something to live and die for.”_ Sehun thought to himself.  
  
  


——————————

 

After class many female students approached Sehun, smiling and giggling to themselves.

“Hi, welcome to our school!”

Sehun did not answer them, he only stared back at them with a cold expression.

“Ummm…So, where are you from?” The girls asked nervously, becoming a little afraid of him.

“I need to get to my next class.” Sehun answered as he walked around the girls to leave.

The girls all shuddered for a moment, “He’s so scary!!”  
  
  


——————————

 

“Are you certain?” Jongin asked as he stared at his monitor.

“No question. It's the HLV carrier that left Earth carrying an Exo Suit.”

“Bring out the Mobile Dolls! Capture it!”

The Mobile Dolls began firing on the carrier and alarms started sounding inside Baekhyun’s cockpit. 

“Dammit! My Exo Suit is almost out of power, I won’t last long against them.”

As the Dolls continued firing on him, Baekhyun’s Exo Suit emerged from the carrier. Baekhyun stared to fight the Dolls, but they were too fast and were able to dodge all of Baekhyun’s fire. Baekhyun fell under a barrage of their attacks. 

Baekhyun looked at his controls nervously, “Zero output. My suit is out of power…Dammit!”

The Dolls continued firing on the Exo Suit relentlessly, and Baekhyun’s cockpit was zapped with a strong electric force, causing him to pass out.

“Capture him!” Jongin ordered once he realized Baekhyun was no longer fighting back.  
  
  


——————————

 

Sehun was sitting watching the news in his dorm on the television. He was relaxed until an alarming image came onto the screen. He sat up and watched with a distressed expression as Baekhyun appeared on the broadcast, wounded and captured. Baekhyun’s hands were bound behind his back in handcuffs, and the soldiers were holding guns to his back as they pushed him along.

_“One of the Exo Mobile Suits known for their destruction and threat to peace was shot down by OZ's Mobile Doll unit. The Exo Pilot has been arrested.”_

“Byun…” Sehun uttered in a quiet voice as he watched Baekhyun cringe in pain as the soldiers shoved him.

_“The background of this pilot has not been confirmed. But OZ has stated that the arrest will assist them as they attempt to eradicate rebels and their organi-”_

Sehun abruptly turned off the television, an angry expression covering his face. He hadn’t experienced this amount of emotion in a long time. He quickly got up from the couch and began changing into his battle suit.


	12. Jailbreak

Baekhyun was slouched over in a chair, still bound in handcuffs behind his back, with visible wounds on his face and arms. Two soldiers were standing behind him with guns, and an officer was seated in front of him at a desk.

“I wasn't expecting the Exo Pilot to be just a kid.”

Baekhyun moved slightly but was quickly restrained by the soldiers standing behind him, “Well, Excuse me! Have I wounded your pride?!”

The officer laughed, “Not compared to how your pride will suffer. You'll be publicly executed.”

Baekhyun paused for a moment before he tried to leap from the chair in desperation, the soldiers behind him quickly reacted and smacked the back of his neck, causing him to knock out.  
  
  


———————————

 

Baekhyun awoke inside his prison cell and immediately started coughing in pain. He trembled as he used all his strength to sit up against the wall. Baekhyun closed his eyes as he leaned his head back against the cold steel wall behind him. It was so quiet, Baekhyun felt like it never got this quiet on Earth, even in the silent places of that world. Space had a unique stillness that Baekhyun found quite terrifying. He always felt like it was going to swallow him up.

Suddenly he heard a whacking sound that Baekhyun distinctively recognized as a fist smacking against another person’s body. The body collapsed against his prison door and skid down before flopping over and hitting the floor.

His prison door opened, and Sehun was revealed standing in the doorway. Baekhyun’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Sehun!”

Sehun paused staring at him before he picked up the unconscious soldiers gun and entered the room to kneel next to Baekhyun. Baekhyun looked over at him and his face turned upset in frustration.

“Why did you leave without me?!”

“I thought you only cared about the Earth.”

Baekhyun paused in surprise, he didn’t think Sehun actually had a rational reason for leaving him. His face softened as Sehun reached for his own gun in his holster and handed it to Baekhyun. 

Baekhyun took the gun and smiled at Sehun, “I’m an Exo Pilot too, I couldn’t leave this all up to you.”

Sehun slowly lifted Baekhyun up, wrapping one of Baekhyun’s arms around his neck. Baekhyun cringed in pain and Sehun paused for a moment. Baekhyun took a deep breath, his body trembled a little as he used his strength to stand. They started walking together and made their way out of the prison cell.

“So where’s your Exo Suit?”

“I left it on Earth. It'd stick out here in space. Then I'd get caught like you. “

Baekhyun laughed, but the act of it was painful for him and he started coughing again. He paused for a moment before speaking.

“How will you get us out of here?”

“I don’t really have much of a plan.”

Baekhyun smiled as he stared up at him. He figured that was unusual for Sehun, he wondered if he had rushed here to save him without much thought. Sehun pressed the button on a small switch he was holding and explosives began to detonate far from their location. Alarms began sounding in the base, and they could hear soldier’s voices screaming.

They made their way down a hallway and discovered it was blocked by some long iron bars. Baekhyun looked back down the hallway where they had come from, but he could hear soldiers running in that direction. Before Baekhyun could speak, Sehun approached the bars and began bending them apart. Baekhyun watched him in amazement.

“You really are superhuman!”

Sehun quickly put his hand over Baekhyun’s mouth and pulled him close to his body as he leaned against the wall for cover. Soldiers ran by their position but failed to spot them. Baekhyun’s heart started pounding as Sehun held onto him. 

“What's going on?!” The soldiers yelled.

Baekhyun melted against Sehun, enjoying the feeling of their bodies pressed close together. If only Sehun wasn’t wearing gloves, then he could have felt the touch of Sehun’s skin on his lips. Sehun slowly released Baekhyun once the soldiers disappeared and they snuck off down another hallway.  
  
  


———————————

 

“Several small bombs have been set in the supplies block!”

“Increase security around the Exo Pilot!”

“The Exo Pilot has already escaped with an outsider's help!”

“What?! What about the Exo Suit?!”

“There were explosions in the area. But no sign of intruders.”

“Show me the explosion points.”

“Explosions are centered around the supplies storage and gate.”

“The mobile suit gate area is untouched! The enemy will escape from there! Send out the Mobile Dolls!”  
  
  


———————————

 

Sehun had his gun at ready as he waited by the elevator door. Baekhyun was crouched on the floor beside him inside the elevator as they rode it together.

“So those new models are the Mobile Dolls. No wonder their reaction time is quick!” Baekhyun noted as he remembered his battle with them.

“Once they're locked onto a target, there's no escaping.”

“Then how will we get away?”

The elevator door suddenly opened, and they were greeted with immediate gunfire. They both stayed close to the wall, using the small amount of wall space as a shield. Sehun popped his arm out a few times to return fire. He looked down at Baekhyun and loudly whispered to him.

“Now!”

Baekhyun pushed a button and more explosives went off in the hallway. The gunfire stopped and they heard screaming. Sehun picked up Baekhyun again and they ran down the hallway together, passing the fallen soldier’s bodies.

They found their way into a mobile dock, and Sehun stared around at the Leo Suits.

“…We could use these.”  
  
  


———————————

 

A Leo Suit suddenly launched out of the mobile dock, and the Mobile Dolls locked on to it, firing at it. More Leo Suits began launching, and the Dolls fired on them as well, their target now set on them.

“Hey! What's going on?!” The captain yelled once he noticed what was happening. “Why are the Mobile Dolls attacking the Leos?!”

“A Leo was scrambling to get off the premises, so the mobile dolls set it as a target!”

As the Dolls were busy firing at the Leo Suits, Sehun and Baekhyun made an escape in a shuttle, flying off without notice. Baekhyun looked out his window at the base behind them.

“I left my Exo Suit behind. I have to destroy it!”

“The Exo Suits are worthless.”

Baekhyun turned his head and looked at Sehun curiously, “What?”

“Dr. J and the other scientists who designed the Exo Suits have all been captured by OZ. They will exploit them for information, our suits will become obsolete.”

Baekhyun paused, “…I see.”

Baekhyun sat back down in his seat, aching a little in pain. Sehun started removing his gloves, and suddenly stood up to come over to Baekhyun, kneeling in front of him. He reached for Baekhyun’s clothes and began unzipping them. Baekhyun’s heart pounded as he watched Sehun, mentally unprepared for something like this. 

“…What…What are you doing?” He asked in a nervous voice.

Without answering, Sehun removed Baekhyun shirt and then reached for the med kit sitting next to him. Baekhyun stared down at it and then let out a long breath.

“…Oh…Thank you…”

Sehun started to treat Baekhyun’s wounds and Baekhyun watched him, his heart still beating quickly. Sehun was a little rough with him, but Baekhyun didn’t mind, he was thrilled to experience the feeling of Sehun’s hands touching his skin. Once Sehun was done treating his body, he moved onto the wound on Baekhyun’s face. Baekhyun stared deeply into Sehun’s eyes, he had that concentrated expression that Baekhyun loved so much. Baekhyun melted a little as he watched him, and leaned forward closing his eyes, imagining what it might feel like if Sehun kissed him. Sehun noticed and paused.

“Are you feeling alright?”

Baekhyun opened his eyes and laughed a little, “Yeah sorry, I was just relaxing.”

Sehun placed a bandaid on Baekhyun’s cheek and then stood up to return to the controls. Baekhyun raised his hand to feel the bandaid as he stared over at Sehun, missing his touch.  
  
  


———————————

 

Sehun brought Baekhyun to his dorm room, and helped him lay down in the bed. Baekhyun made a small sound of discomfort as he adjusted himself to lay in a comfortable position. Sehun began changing, taking off his battle suit until he was only wearing a T-Shirt and underwear. Baekhyun was secretly enjoying the show, smiling to himself as he watched him from the bed.

Sehun came over to the bed and crawled under the covers next to Baekhyun. Baekhyun stared at him in surprise, he wasn’t expecting Sehun to sleep with him. His smile grew larger as he scooted over to be closer to Sehun.

“Goodnight Sehun.”

Sehun didn’t respond, Baekhyun stared at Sehun’s closed eyes and continued smiling to himself. He snuggled into his pillow and laid for a long time staring at Sehun. He would chase Sehun to the edge of the stars just to experience small moments like this with him.  
  
  


———————————

 

“A large amount of Exordium Alloy is being brought into the Lunar Base factory. It's probably for making a new type of mobile suit.” Sehun explained as he placed a gun inside his gun holster.

“So what is the plan?” Baekhyun asked, still sitting in bed.

“Just stay here. You'll get in the way.”

“What do you mean?!” Baekhyun yelled as he tried to stand up, but he cringed in pain upon doing so and reluctantly sat back down.

“You’re going to need time to recover.” Sehun answered as he loaded another gun with ammunition.

Baekhyun paused watching him, he was afraid of Sehun leaving again without him. He cursed himself for getting injured, he desperately wanted to go on the mission with Sehun.

“You can go to school in the meantime if you want. I've already got the admission taken care of, under my code name.”

Baekhyun sighed, “…Ok.”

Sehun finished loading his gun holster with ammunition and then made his way over to the door. Baekhyun watched him with concern as Sehun opened the door to leave.

_“…You better come back Sehun. Don’t abandon me again.”_   
  
  


———————————

 

The doctors were busy checking on their new mobile suits, which were already heavily into development.

“The Mercurius defense system is looking pretty impressive.” Dr. J smiled.

Dr. H answered him, “And the Vayeate should start taking shape once the mainframe is built.”

“Just a matter of time before it's completed. I don't intend to work under OZ forever!” Dr. G added.

“Officially speaking, this is Colonel Jongin's project. But they'll be selecting mobile suit pilots from among the colony citizens.” Dr. H spoke again.

“This could all become quite interesting.” Dr. S laughed.

Dr. G began working on the mobile suits again, “I doubt if things will work out that well.”

Dr. J started typing and the Mercurius arm began moving, “Wu won't bother with the selection process. It's more his style to go straight for their throats.”

“In any case we'll complete the powerful mobile suits that OZ wants so badly. Then prove that OZ can be destroyed by its own weapons!”  
  
  


———————————

 

Baekhyun approached the students at his new school once class was over. He smiled at them brightly as he spoke.

“Hi, I’m Wu Shi Xun, It’s nice to meet you.”

The students stared at him for a moment and some of them began to whisper. They politely bowed and then left. Baekhyun looked around and noticed the whole class was staring at him and whispering. He overheard two students who were standing near him.

“He said Wu Shi Xun right? That scary new kid?”

“I heard he was rude to some of the students.”

Baekhyun giggled to himself, he wasn’t used to be treated this way, _“Of course Sehun made this kind of impression.”_  
  
  


———————————

 

“Remember, you are vying for a position to fight for the safety of the colonies.” Lt. Luhan addressed the volunteers assembled in the simulation area. “In the next test, obstacles representing enemies will be placed along each mobile suit's path. The bombs are imitations. But they carry an impact. Be careful!”

“Yes, Sir!” The volunteers answered.

The bombs began to fly towards the trainees.

“Here they come! Commence attack!” Lt. Luhan shouted.

The trainees all attempted to shoot the bombs, but they missed, and the bombs exploded on them. Lt. Luhan sighed and lowered his head.

“What a disaster. But they're just amateurs.”

Suddenly one of the trainees caught Luhan’s attention, he was hitting every target with ease. Luhan smiled with relief as he watched him.

“This is test pilot 1. I'm finished with the test.” The volunteer spoke into his com link.

“Test pilot 1, confirm your name!” Luhan demanded in excitement.

The pilot removed his helmet, “Du Qing Zhu.”  
  
  


———————————

 

Lt. Luhan saluted to Jongin before speaking, “Colonel, Du Qing Zhu is extraordinary! Even though he's been through some simulations he couldn't make such maneuvers in his first battle!”

Jongin slouched back in his chair, staring at Luhan curiously, “What are you implying?”

“He must've had some previous training. At an extremely high level, too!”

“But his background has been checked hasn't it?”

“Yes, and there were no problems.”

“Then it sounds like he's got some natural talent. Talent that he never had the chance to use before.” Jongin smirked.  
  
  


———————————

 

Two soldiers lay unconscious on the floor as Sehun sat in a chair at a large computer. He was busy finding information on the new mobile suits the doctors were building.

“…They’re still in the designing process. I’ll destroy them before they can be finished.”  
  
  


———————————

 

Kyungsoo stepped into Jongin’s office and saluted him. Jongin smiled and signaled him to come sit down. Kyungsoo sat down in the chair in front of Jongin.

“It's a pleasure to meet you.”

_“So this is Colonel Jongin. Chief Commander of OZ's Space operations.”_ Kyungsoo thought to himself as he stared at him.

Jongin picked up his clipboard to look over the information about Kyungsoo.

“So you've had experience with labor mobile suits in your job repairing the colony's outer walls. Your outstanding test results today have the OZ soldiers completely baffled.”

“I've always felt I had what it'd take to be a soldier.”

Jongin continued reading the clipboard before eventually placing it down to look up at Kyungsoo.

“You are to come back in two hours to test OZ's new mobile suits.”  
  
  


———————————

 

Jongin and Luhan approached the doctors, five soldiers following behind him, including Kyungsoo. All of them stood next to the unfinished mobile suits the doctors were busy building.

“Didn't take you long to find your pilots, did it?” Dr. J laughed slightly.

“These five have been selected from the colony citizens as prospective pilots. And this is Du Qing Zhu. He's outstanding. He should be able to control any suit.”

Dr. S stared at Kyungsoo and secretly smiled to himself. Being the one responsible for creating Kyungsoo’s Exo Suit, he easily recognized him.

“These mobile suits of ours won't be simple to control.” Dr. J warned.

“I hear they're better than the Exo Suits. I can't wait.” Kyungsoo responded.

“How far have you gotten?” Jongin asked.

“The Mercurius is 80% complete and the Vayeate is about 50% complete.”

“What's the reason for developing two models?”

“We designed these two suit models as opposing principles in battle, that is, offense and defense in their extremes.”

Dr. G interrupted, “With the Vayeate, we added the largest possible beam cannon without affecting mobility. And with the Mercurius we added a defense shield to withstand such a beam cannon attack.”

“Which would win if they were to fight each other?” Jongin asked curiously.

“Naturally, the one with the better pilot would win.” Dr. J smirked.

“So the race to determine the superiority of mobile suits is meaningless, since their value is directly dependent on the abilities of the pilot?” Kyungsoo interjected.

“You're sharp; I see why you were selected by OZ. You're right!” Dr. J smiled.

“Silence Du Qing Zhu!” Luhan shouted.

Jongin held out his hand, “Leave him alone! He'll be piloting one of those suits. I'll allow his questions.”

Luhan paused, and lowered his head apologetically, “Uh, yes Sir.”

“What tests will you be demonstrating for us today?” Jongin continued questioning the doctors.

“I'll show you the defense system of the Mercurius. It's the latest system, which creates an electric field to allow it to reflect any beam fired by the enemy.”

“And the Vayeate?”

“The Vayeate still needs some work. It isn't even charged with energy yet.”

As Dr. J finished his sentence, the Vayeate suddenly turned on behind them.

“What's that? The Vayeate's moving!” Dr. H shouted as he stared at it.

The Vayeate’s arm raised and took aim at the Mercurius, along with everyone standing behind the suit.

“Activate the Mercurius shield!” Dr. G commanded.

Dr. J flipped some switches to activate the Mercurius shield. As the Vayeate shot it’s beam cannon, the Mercurius moved to protect everyone. The Mercurius shield absorbed the attack. The shockwave from the blast was too much for the unfinished Vayeate to handle, and it dropped to the ground. Sehun jumped out of the suit as it was landing.

Soldiers quickly surrounded Sehun and took aim at him before Sehun had the chance to fully draw his gun. He slowly dropped his gun to the floor as the soldiers came closer to him.

Dr. J smiled as he watched Sehun, “What'd I tell you? My weapon, he's something, don't you think?”

“That's for sure.” Dr. G answered.

Sehun raised his hands behind his head as the soldiers walked behind him, still pointing their guns at him.

Dr. J laughed to himself, “…He even tried to kill us.”

They lead Sehun over to Jongin, and Sehun made secret eye contact with Kyungsoo. Kyungsoo simply nodded at him, a simple gesture letting Sehun know he was still on his side.  
  
  


———————————

 

Jongin and Luhan were busy looking at a monitor screen, Kyungsoo was standing behind them. A soldier was seated at the computer in front of them, typing on his keyboard. He was busy tracking down a mobile suit entering their area.

“It's no use. The target is accelerating. Our pilots can't keep up with it.”

“They’re no match; just as I thought.” Jongin answered.

“Reports suggest that it might even be the Tallgeese.”

“The Tallgeese? That’s Lt. Jongdae’s Suit.” Jongin answered in surprise.

Kyungsoo suddenly stepped forward, “We can probably get rid of it with the Mobile Dolls. However…The scientists have completed the new mobile suits and they're ready. I'd like to test the abilities of the Vayeate and the Mercurius.”

Luhan glared at Kyungsoo, “We can't test them in real battle, you fool!”

Jongin ignored Luhan as he looked over at Kyungsoo, “Who do you recommend for the other pilot?”

Luhan looked over at Jongin desperately, “Allow me to pilot it, Colonel Jongin.”

“It's got be an excellent pilot to conduct a complete test. Otherwise he'll get in the way.” Kyungsoo suddenly added.

Luhan turned to look back at Kyungsoo with a furious expression, “What's that?!”

Jongin nodded, “I understand.”

Luhan opened his mouth in shock as he looked back at Jongin, “Colonel Jongin…!”

Jongin ignored him, “Du Qing Zhu. You've got command to destroy the Tallgeese.”  
  
  


———————————

 

Sehun sat against the wall inside his prison cell, his hands rested in front of himself, locked in handcuffs. The door opened and a few soldiers entered pointing guns at him. Sehun slowly lifted his head to look at them.

“Stand up!”

Sehun did as he was instructed and the soldiers lead him out of the cell. The soldiers brought Sehun to the place where the doctors had been building the new mobile suits. Jongin, Luhan, and Kyungsoo were all waiting for him to arrive. Jongin came over to him and started speaking with the guards.

“Release his handcuffs.”

Sehun secretly stared over at Kyungsoo again, and Kyungsoo nodded at him. The guards did as they were instructed, and Luhan rushed over to Jongin in concern.

“This is dangerous! Why are you letting that Exo Pilot take out the Mercurius?”

“Because he IS an Exo Pilot. OZ should know his piloting skills better than anyone.” Jongin turned to look at Dr. J, “Can the Mercurius' self-detonation device be activated from Du's Vayeate?”

“Yes, just as you requested.”

Jongin looked over at Kyungsoo, “Du, you have the authority to blow up Mercurius if your pilot acts suspicious.”

Kyungsoo nodded, “Yes, Sir.”  
  
  


———————————

 

Sehun maneuvered around in the Mercurius, getting used to the controls. Kyungsoo watched him. They were surrounded by a small fleet of Mobile Dolls.

“How is it?”

“The operations are practically identical to the Exo Suits’.” Sehun answered as he continued practicing the controls.

“Not surprising.” Kyungsoo answered.

Sehun fired at one of the Mobile Dolls for practice, blowing it up.

“Don't overdo it. Or I'll have to blow you up.” Kyungsoo responded.

An alarm suddenly sounded in both their suits, and they noticed the Tallgeese was near their position.

“We've caught up. We'll send the mobile dolls.” Kyungsoo informed Sehun.

The mobile dolls flew off towards Jongdae’s suit, Jongdae’s alarm started going off and he began fighting with them. As he fought with them, his alarm suddenly starting going off again. Sehun and Kyungsoo joined the battle, firing at Jongdae but missing as he backed out of the way.

“What?! There's two of them!”

Jongdae started to fire back at them, and Sehun raised his shield. Jongdae watched in surprise as it reflected his beam. He paused in frustration, not wishing to get involved in this pointless battle. Suddenly Sehun and Kyungsoo heard Jongdae’s voice on their COM links.

“I haven't got time to play games with you! Where is Wu Shi Xun?!

“I’m right here.” Sehun answered as he appeared on Jongdae’s monitor, verifying it was really him.

Jongdae paused, “What? Never would've guessed you'd sneak into OZ.”

“Are you looking for another fight?”

Jongdae smiled, “We never finished our last one.”

Sehun and Jongdae started fighting again as Kyungsoo stayed in the background and watched, realizing they were in some kind of duel.

“Don’t hold back on me Wu, my intentions still haven’t changed.”

“I never hold back.” Sehun answered as he continued firing at him, “If you want to fight with me, I don’t care what your intentions are, I’m going to kill you.”

Jongdae pulled out his beam sword, ceasing his fire, “That’s a perfect attitude, I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

Sehun pulled out his beam sword as well, blocking the swing of Jongdae’s sword. They continued swinging at each other, but it didn’t take long for Sehun to gain the advantage in the battle. Jongdae smirked to himself as he began losing, pleased with the outcome of their battle.

Kyungsoo watched Sehun’s quick movements in awe, realizing his skill was far beyond a normal soldier, or even the other Exo Pilots. Jongdae was no match for the speed and accuracy of Sehun’s movements, and his suit was battered with repetitive hits from Sehun’s sword. 

Jongdae’s beaten suit began to spark, and his controls were rendered useless. Jongdae let go of his control sticks and closed his eyes to take a moment to think to himself.

_“For a soldier, this is the only way to die.”_

Kyungsoo noticed that Jongdae was no longer fighting back, he appeared on Sehun’s monitor to speak with him.

“He can’t fight anymore. Let him surrender.”

Jongdae’s voice was suddenly heard on their COM links, raspy and breathless from the pain he was experiencing, “No, I refuse to surrender, that would be worse than death. End this Wu, I’m ready.”

Kyungsoo sighed and closed his eyes, his image disappeared off of Sehun’s screen. Sehun slashed Jongdae’s mobile suit through the center. It exploded and Sehun backed away as the ball of fire expanded, pieces of metal flying in every direction. The explosion subsided, and nothing was left of Jongdae’s suit.

Kyungsoo spent a moment paying his respects to him, lowering his head as he thought to himself. After a long pause of silence, Kyungsoo radioed in to OZ headquarters, letting them know that Jongdae had been eliminated.


	13. A New Threat

Chanyeol ran down a dark metal corridor, his feet making a clang sound with each step he took. The only light he had was from a small flashlight he was holding. He stopped once he reached a door panel. Pressing his flashlight under his armpit, he took a tablet out of his jacket and turned it on to look at a map. After analyzing it for a moment, comparing it to his surroundings, Chanyeol put the tablet back inside his jacket. He removed a unusual looking gun from his holster and knelt in front of the door.

As he held down the trigger, as laser shot from it and started to melt the metal door. He carefully cut around the lock and then slid the laser gun back into his holster. He stood up to swing the door open, and smiled as he stepped inside.

He stared up at the large mobile suit in the room and continued to smile to himself, “Wait till the other guys see this! My best haul yet!”  
  
  


———————————

 

Baekhyun winced as he wrapped his own bandages, his body was still in a lot of pain. It had been six days since he last saw Sehun, and he was starting to get really worried. He was in no condition to help him, but Baekhyun couldn’t wait any longer. He got dressed in his usual street clothes and slipped a gun into a holster in his pants.

Since he was without a mobile suit, Baekhyun decided he needed to steal one. Once he was finished getting ready, Baekhyun left to go find the nearest OZ mobile suit dock.  
  
  


———————————

 

“He's taken the Leo! After him!”

Baekhyun operated the controls inside the mobile suit and grunted in pain, he really was in no shape to even be flying it. He took off towards the Moon, where the Lunar Base was located, and tried his best to endure the strain the suit was putting on his body.

His proximity alarm started beeping and Baekhyun spotted some mobile dolls coming after him.

“Dammit, I’m almost there…”

Baekhyun paused to try and fight the mobile dolls, but he was no match for them in his current condition. They shot him down and Baekhyun screamed in pain as he plummeted to the Moon’s surface. Once he landed, Baekhyun weakly crawled out of his mobile suit and floated towards the base.

Baekhyun made his way into the computer room, and started hacking the system to find a floor plan of the base. He wanted to discover the location of the jail cells, hoping Sehun was still alive and they were merely keeping him locked up.

“Interesting. It's underground. I'll get to the cells through this duct.”

A soldier suddenly called out once he spotted Baekhyun, “There he is!”

Baekhyun threw his helmet at the soldier and it smacked him hard in the face, knocking him out. The soldier’s gun went flying, and Baekhyun caught it. He started to run away, firing the gun behind himself at the other soldiers that appeared down the hallway. He clutched onto his side as he ran, trying his best to comfort his wounds.

“Don't lose him!”  
  
  


———————————

 

“Colonel Jongin!”

“What is it?”

“Call from the Unit Chief. They fear the enemy is attempting another jailbreak!”

“What?! Get security underground and stop him from entering!”

Baekhyun ran towards a door and used his body to break it down. He rolled inside pointing his gun, but stopped as he quivered in pain. He looked up and noticed that his mobile suit along with Chanyeol’s were standing in the room.

“What the heck?”

“Who's there?!” An old man shouted as he appeared from behind some equipment. He paused once he recognized Baekhyun’s face.

“Oh it’s you Bian, long time no see. Looks like you found your mobile suit.” Dr. G smiled.

Baekhyun looked back over at the suits, “Yeah, what’s the deal? Is OZ rebuilding them?”

“No, OZ doesn’t know these are here. We’ve secretly been rebuilding them. They're new models. Bian, how would you like to operate one?”

“When is it finished?”

“In one month. Make sure you live until then.”

“I’ll try my best.” Baekhyun turned to start leaving, “Sorry, I need to hurry!”

Dr. G waved after him, “Good luck.”

Baekhyun ran off to continue making his way towards the prison cells, anxious to find Sehun. After sneaking down a few hallways, and avoiding some soldiers, he found the control room to the cells. He raised his gun at the keypad on the door and shot it a few times before he proceeded to break down the door. As the door swung open, he fell to the floor cringing in pain.

Inside the room, Jongin and Luhan were already waiting for him, along with a few other soldiers. The soldiers were all pointing guns at him. Baekhyun held onto his body as he looked up at them all, still wincing in agony.

“Well if it isn’t our escapee, are you that eager to die?” Luhan smiled.

Baekhyun trembled as he slowly stood up. Luhan raised his gun at him, but Jongin grabbed his arm to stop him. He looked over at the other soldiers as he nudged his head at Baekhyun.

“Lock him up.”

Luhan clenched his teeth and gripped tightly onto his gun as he glared at Baekhyun. He paused for a long moment before he finally lowered his gun.  
  
  


———————————

 

The soldiers shoved Baekhyun into the cell and quickly shut the door behind him. Baekhyun stumbled into the dark room and tried to gain his balance, it was difficult with his hands bound in handcuffs, but he managed to come to a steady halt.

“Failed your mission?”

Baekhyun heard a familiar voice speak to him from the other side of the room. He quickly turned his head and spotted Sehun sitting on the floor against the wall with one of his knees up.

“Sehun!”

Baekhyun ran over to him and quickly sank down to the floor to sit next to him.

“Your injuries are still bothering you?”

Baekhyun looked at him in surprise, “You can tell?”

“I can tell by the way you move. That wasn’t your regular running pattern.”

Baekhyun smiled, he liked the idea that Sehun had memorized the way he carried himself.

“Yes, I haven’t fully healed yet since you left me, but I was worried about you, I couldn’t wait any longer.”

Sehun remained silent and Baekhyun continued smiling as he lowered his head to rest it on Sehun’s shoulder.

“I’m glad they put me in here with you…But, you’ve been missing for a while now…Are they just keeping you locked up in here?”

“It seems like OZ will be keeping us alive for the time being. They’ve built some new Mobile Suits, they’ve been using me as a test pilot.”

“I see…”

Baekhyun suddenly smiled again, “Oh, speaking of which…Good news; my Exo Suit is being rebuilt. Looks like the doctors have been secretly rebuilding mine along with Piao’s.”

Sehun paused, “We still need to be careful. The doctors are the ones who built the new Mobile Suits, the Vayeate and the Mercurius. They’re almost identical to our Exo Suits. I’ve been piloting the Mercurius. Du is undercover as an OZ soldier, he’s been piloting the Vayeate.”

“Du is undercover?”

“He must be planning to hide in OZ until he can defeat General Junmyeon.”

Baekhyun nodded, “Makes sense.”

There was a long break of silence and Baekhyun closed his eyes, continuing to rest on Sehun’s shoulder. He was surprised to hear Sehun suddenly start speaking again, he never usually talked to him this much.

“We were ordered to take down the Tallgeese.”

“The Tallgeese?”

“Lt. Jongdae’s Suit.”

“Oh, so you fought with him?”

“I killed him.”

Baekhyun paused, “Was Commander Minseok there?”

“No.”

There was another break of silence as Baekhyun meditated on that thought, curious how the battle went. 

“…I wonder what OZ is going to do with me then…If you two are already piloting the new suits.”

Sehun fell into silence again, but there was a slight gleam of concern in his eyes. Sehun wasn’t used to feeling this powerless. Baekhyun raised his head to look at Sehun.

“Do you mind if I lay on your lap?”

“I don’t care.”

Sehun lowered his knee, allowing Baekhyun a comfortable position. Baekhyun bit his lip and stared at him for a moment before lowering his head and laying it on Sehun’s lap, looking up towards the ceiling. Despite their poor situation, Baekhyun was in a chipper mood, glad to be trapped in a room with Sehun. He wondered how many hours they would get to spend together, with no choice but to confide in each other’s company. Baekhyun smirked as his mind wandered to provocative thoughts, he spent a long moment fantasizing about situations that could possibly occur, although he realized they were completely unrealistic. 

“They could at least give us a bed if they plan on using us as test pilots…You can lay one me too if you need to get more comfortable.”

“I’m fine.”

Baekhyun smiled, “I knew you’d say that.”  
  
  


———————————

 

“An unidentified shuttle is headed this way!”

The soldiers gathered around the monitor in the control room, “A shuttle?”

“Yes, but it's quite small for a shuttle.”

“Its lines?”

“They're open. I've tried contacting them, but they still won't respond!”

“Get a hold of security and have them guard our defense line.”

“Sir!” The soldier responded as he quickly went to contact security.

“This is OZ Unit I7I. Approaching shuttle, consider this a warning! Change your course at once! If you come any closer, we'll open fire! This is not a bluff, it's a warning!”

The voice of the security officer could be heard inside the cockpit of the shuttle, but they ignored it as they continued moving towards the OZ base.

“Go ahead, open fire!” The soldier demanded.

They fired upon the shuttle, and it quickly exploded in a ball of fire.

“The flying object has been destroyed. Mission com…Wait…What…?”

As the explosion dissipated, a mobile suit suddenly became discernible.

“It's an Exo Suit!!! Fire! Fire! Fire!”

The suit was holding a large buster rifle, it began to fill with energy before it sent a large blast in the direction of the base. An extremely huge explosion occurred, and the base was annihilated with one shot. 

Inside the cockpit, the pilot was breathing heavily, seemingly deranged. They held tightly onto the control sticks in front of them, shaking a little with each breath they took.  
  
  


———————————

 

“So I'm too lenient am l, Lt. Luhan?” Jongin asked.

“No. I'm saying it's too risky to depend on those pilots.”

“Those associated with the Exo Suits are still valuable. The pilot of 01 has already mastered the Mercurius. Unfortunately, no OZ pilot has skills exceeding his.”

“But it's still too risky!” Luhan shouted as he tightly clenched his fist.

“Don't worry. We still have the detonation device in his suit.”

“Sir, I feel those pilots aren’t needed any longer, preparations to mass-produce the Vayeate and Mercurius at the Lunar Base is already under way, as arranged.”

“Lieutenant, why do you dislike them? Jealous? That's not something to be proud of.”

“Absurd. Why would I be jealous?”

A soldier suddenly appears on the monitor next to Jongin, “Colonel! We've received an urgent message! A natural resource satellite at point 07UI has disappeared!”

“What, an enemy?”

“Yes, a new Exo Suit that we have no data on!”

Jongin paused, “…Another Exo Suit?”

“Yes, someone who we believe to be the pilot has contacted us. They said they would destroy the civilian colony at point O6E.”

“Is this a declaration of war?” Luhan spoke quietly in the background.

“Send the Vayeate and Mercurius to Colony O6E.” Jongin ordered Luhan.

“Colonel, let's send out the Mobile Dolls.”

“No, we’ll keep using them to guard the Lunar Base. Send out the Vayeate and Mercurius!”

Luhan hesitated, “…But.”

“The firepower of both the Vayeate and Mercurius surpasses that of the Mobile Dolls. Send out the orders!”

Luhan paused before nodding and walking off.  
  
  


———————————

 

Kyungsoo approached the doctors prison cell and looked around carefully before opening their cell door. He stepped inside and the doctors looked up at him in surprise.

“Du, have you come to set us free?”

“An unidentified Exo Suit has declared its plans to destroy a colony.”

“Unidentified?”

“Yes, it's a new model.”

“What about its specs and weapons? Don't you have any detailed information?” Dr. J asked.

“It has the power to wipe out a natural resource satellite. I'll go confirm what they know.”

The doctors watched carefully as Kyungsoo left their cell. Dr. G turned to look at Dr. J.

“The suit you left behind?”

“I don't know the size of the resource satellite but such destructive power points to that suit.”

“I sense something dangerous.”

“Even a layman knows that much power's unnecessary.”

“Yes, it’s power is something even we hesitated using…A couple of colonies are going to disappear…” Dr. J spoke quietly.  
  
  


———————————

 

Baekhyun was resting his head on Sehun’s lap as Sehun was laid back on the floor inside their prison cell. Both of their eyes were closed, resting and waiting. Baekhyun had attempted to think of some things to talk about, but Sehun wasn’t the easiest person to have a conversation with, so he gave up and decided to just enjoy laying on his lap for now.

The cell door suddenly opened and Sehun lifted his head to look, while Baekhyun remained facing Sehun on his lap. Kyungsoo and some other soldiers entered, all of them staring at Sehun and Baekhyun cuddling in slight confusion.

“No. 1, you’re coming with us.” Kyungsoo ordered.

Baekhyun sighed and rolled over to face the other direction as he remained on Sehun’s lap.

“Even an Exo Pilot might get himself killed this time, because you're up against another Exo Suit.” Kyungsoo added.

“What?” Baekhyun asked curiously.

“Apparently it's a new model. It wiped out an entire OZ division on it’s own.”

Baekhyun nervously lifted his hand to grab onto Sehun’s leg, he didn’t like the sound of that. Sehun suddenly stood up and Baekhyun reluctantly moved off him.

“Let’s go.” Sehun spoke as he made his way over to Kyungsoo.

“Be careful.” Baekhyun called out to him as he remained sitting on the floor.

“Mm.” Sehun answered as continued facing the other direction.

Baekhyun stared at his back longingly as he disappeared from the cell and the door shut, leaving Baekhyun alone. Baekhyun immediately lowered his head and concentrated his thoughts on Sehun’s safe return. He had faith in Sehun’s skills, but he was still really worried about this one.  
  
  


———————————

 

Sehun was sitting in the cockpit of the Mercurius as Kyungsoo stood on his blast shield door to speak with him.

“I'm sure the pilot of the new Exo Suit is Piao Can Lie. The time may have come. Once we join up with him, we'll attack OZ.”

“How do you know it’s him? Assumptions lead to mistakes.”

“Who else would it be? The four of us are the only people capable of piloting an Exo suit, you know we had to undergo specific training to be able to handle it.”

Sehun paused, “…There may be one more person.”

Kyungsoo stared at him curiously, “Another person?”  
  
  


———————————

 

Inside Colony O6E, mobile suits were patrolling the empty streets, preparing for the threat by the Exo Suit.

“We've evacuated the civilians. The enemy could show up anywhere! Be on the lookout!”

“Section 1, everything’s under control!”

“Section 2, under control!”

“The outside of the colony is equipped with beam cannons. The colony can defend itself no matter what enemies approach.”

Suddenly the Exo Suit appeared on their scanners, “It’s here!”

A voice suddenly started speaking to them through their COM link, “Calling Colony O6E3. I'm about to eliminate your colony. No sense retaliating. Leave the colony at once. I repeat. Leave the colony at once.”

“Attack! Prepare to fire the outer beam cannons!” The captain ordered.

The cannons aimed at the Exo Suit as mobile suits flew out to attack it. The Exo Suit moved around in incredible speed, evading all gunfire and shots from the cannons.

“You're afraid of dying, aren't you? Then you shouldn't be fighting in the first place!”

The Exo Suit’s buster rifle filled with energy before it fired a large blast at the colony, destroying it in one shot.  
  
  


———————————

 

Sehun was sleeping inside the cockpit of the Mercurius when his alarm suddenly started sounding. He woke up and a image of Kyungsoo appeared on his monitor.

“Are we there?” Sehun asked.

“Our destination just changed. We were too late to save that colony. He said he'd be destroying a colony in this area next. This carrier sticks out. We'll proceed in the mobile suits. Our objective is to find out how powerful the Exo Suit is. We'll fight only if necessary. If it’s Can Lie we're up against, we don't need to worry.”

“Be cautious. Something isn't right. Remember, he just destroyed a colony.”

Kyungsoo paused, “Right.”  
  
  


———————————

 

Luhan entered the control room of the prison cells and the soldier guarding it stood up to salute him.

“Is this where the air supply for the cells is controlled?” Luhan asked with a devious look on his face.

“Yes Sir, it's controlled here.”

Luhan smiled as he went over to the switches and began turning them off, “I see…”

“Sir! What are you doing?!”

“Just cutting off the air supply to the prisons.”

“I haven't received such orders!” The soldier raised his gun to point it at Luhan, “Are these orders from Colonel Jongin?!”

Luhan laughed a little, “I'm giving out these orders. Don't worry, you’re just doing as ordered, that's all. Colonel Jongin a little too soft for his own good.”  
  
  


———————————

 

“I must be getting old. My knees are feeling weak.” Dr. J spoke in a raspy voice.

“You fool, they've cut off our air.” Dr. G snapped at him, “We've got two hours at the most.”

Dr. S smiled as he reached into his pocket, “I have something that may come in handy.”  
  
  


———————————

 

Baekhyun rammed into his prison cell door with his body, attempting to knock it down in frustration.

“What a dirty way to kill me off!” Baekhyun cried in a shaky voice.

He threw himself down to the floor, tears in his eyes, “Sehun… I don’t want to die all alone like this…”  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hmmmm, something very troubling has happened, can you guys guess who is piloting the new Exo Suit? Also, what is going to happen to Baekhyun while Sehun is gone? Look forward to the next chapter to find out ヾ(￣o￣;)
> 
> Also, I just want to reiterate, Mobile Dolls are suits with no pilots, they’re just like robots. Don’t forget that lol. Mobile Suits have pilots.


	14. Zero

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for how long this has taken me >.< I keep forgetting to post another chapter. Hopefully you guys haven't forgotten what's going on in this story.

Sehun and Kyungsoo approached the colony under threat, and their alarms began sounding. They both spotted the new Exo Suit on their monitors, it was battling with the mobile suits guarding the colony.

_“…Can Lie, show me what that suit can do.”_ Kyungsoo thought to himself as he watched it, still convinced it was Chanyeol.

The Exo Suit’s buster rifle filled with energy and it fired on the mobile suits, eliminating them with one shot.

Kyungsoo watched in amazement, and smiled as he went to speak on his COM link to the Exo Suit.

“Can Lie, this is Qing Zhu. Do you read me, Can Lie?”

There was a short pause before he responded to Kyungsoo. He spoke slowly in a shaky voice that Kyungsoo immediately recognized belonging to Chanyeol, “I read you, Qing Zhu. Don't come any closer, Qing Zhu.”

Sehun listened to their conversation with intrigue, surprised to indeed hear Chanyeol’s voice. Kyungsoo ignored Chanyeol and flew over to him, anxious to speak with him.

“What did I just say?! Don't get any closer!!” Chanyeol screamed loudly as he suddenly fired at Kyungsoo.

In a short instant, the blast destroyed half of Kyungsoo’s mobile suit, exposing his cockpit to outer space.

Kyungsoo reached for his arm, which was now wounded and bleeding, “…Can Lie…What’s going on?”

“Qing Zhu. Outer space has gone mad, so I'll destroy it all. I must destroy all the weapons that have accumulated here.” Chanyeol’s voice was shaking again as he spoke.

“What's the matter, Can Lie? This isn't like you.”

Chanyeol began breathing heavily, “Tell the others for me. Tell them to stay away. Otherwise I'll kill them.”

An alarm suddenly sounded inside Chanyeol’s suit as Sehun flew towards him.

“I'm telling you not to get any closer!!”

Chanyeol fired at Sehun, but his shield deflected the attack.

“Is that all you've got to say?” Sehun asked in his monotone voice.

Kyungsoo watched them in dismay as they began fighting each other, he didn’t understand, why was Chanyeol acting this way?

Chanyeol’s buster rifle began to fill with energy, and Sehun braced for impact. The blast hit him full force, Sehun’s shield only lasted for a short moment before it broke and he was blown towards the colony. Sehun groaned in pain as his suit laid crippled on the outer wall of the colony.  
  
  


———————————

  
  
  
“We've lost communication with Du's Vayeate and the Leo unit that was fighting the Exo Suit! The whole unit, including the Mercurius, may be wiped out.”

Jongin paused for a moment, an upset expression covering his face, “And the colony?”

“So far it's been spared any significant damage.”

“That means the battle is still going on. That Righteous Exo Pilot would fight to protect the colonies. Hopefully he'll be able to stop this new suit.”

“Sir, images from the mother ship of Leo’s unit.”

Pictures of Chanyeol’s suit appeared on the screen. Jongin examined them for a moment, it looked very similar to Sehun’s Exo Suit. 

“Good. Now send these to the Exo Suit engineers at the Lunar Base. We should be able to find out something from them.”

“But Colonel, we can't communicate with the Lunar Base right now.”

“What?!”

“Lt. Luhan has ignored our orders to restore communication.”  
  
  


———————————

  
  
  
The doctors were all huddled around each other in their prison cell, meddling with the device Dr. S had taken out of his pocket. They were busy trying to find the frequency to Sehun’s COM link.

“You old guys seem calm considering it won't be long before the air is gone and we start passing out.” Dr. J spoke quietly.

“We’ve almost got this. Don’t quit yet.”  
  
  


———————————

  
  
  
Baekhyun was laying on the floor of his cell, trying his best not to move and reserve his air. He slowed down his breath as much as he could, but the lack of air made him choke and cough occasionally. Baekhyun knew it was only a matter of time before he fainted, but he tried to keep the thought out of his mind, fearing that he may break down into tears, and he couldn’t afford to waste the air gasping. He decided to meditate and concentrate all his thoughts on Sehun, wishing him luck in his battle.  
  
  


———————————

  
  
  
Chanyeol locked his buster rifle onto Sehun’s crippled suit, “I asked you to stay away from me. But you wouldn’t. So now I’ll have to kill you.”

Sehun was breathing heavily from his injuries, “Then get it over with.”

Chanyeol fired his rifle, but Kyungsoo flew in the way and took the full force of the shot. Chanyeol’s eyes widened in shock as he watched Kyungsoo’s suit begin to heavily spark from the damage of his gunfire.

“Qing Zhu!!”

Kyungsoo weakly smiled, “Call me Kyungsoo.”

Chanyeol paused before shouting again, “Kyungsoo, get out of that suit, it’s going explode!!”

Kyungsoo coughed for a moment, “Tell me…Tell me your real name.”

Chanyeol started to fly towards him, “It’s Chanyeol. Now get the hell out of there!!”

Kyungsoo closed his eyes, he was on the verge of fainting, “…Chanyeol, turn back into the nice guy you once were. I hope something triggers you to calm down. Something triggers you…”

Kyungsoo’s suit suddenly exploded before Chanyeol could reach him, large chunks of the suit flying off in several directions.

“Kyungsoo!!!!!”  
  
  


———————————

  
  
  
Sehun regained enough strength to operate his suit again, he gripped onto the control sticks and slowly stood up. Suddenly he heard some scratchy audio on his COM link.

“…Wu…Ca…can you hear…me?”

Sehun listened in surprise, “Dr. J?”

Dr. J’s voice continued to crackle, “Wu! They’ve cut off the air…to the prison cells. We don’t have much time left!”

Sehun’s eyes widened and he felt his heart stop for a moment, “Byun!”

Sehun instantly flew off towards the Lunar Base, leaving Chanyeol behind as he searched the battleground desperately for any trace of Kyungsoo.  
  
  


———————————

  
  
  
Sehun burst into the control room for the prison cells and ran towards the switch panels. He quickly analyzed the controls before finding the proper switches, quickly flipping them back on. Suddenly he heard the sound of a gun cocking behind him. Sehun turned to see Lt. Luhan standing in the doorway.

“You’re going to be executed anyway, what’s the point of trying to live a few more days?”

Without hesitating or even bothering to reflect on Luhan’s words, Sehun quickly drew his own gun and shot Luhan in the chest. Luhan gripped onto his body before falling to the floor. Sehun turned back to the controls and pressed a button to open the prison doors. He quickly ran out the door, stepping over Luhan’s body, and continued down the hallway towards the prison cells.

Sehun could feel a tightness in his chest, a horrible pain in the pit of his stomach. He swallowed deeply, realizing it was fear he was experiencing, fear that he was too late to save Baekhyun’s life.

Sehun burst into the prison cell and spotted Baekhyun collapsed on the floor.

“Byun!”

Sehun went running towards him and knelt down next to him to prop him off the floor. Baekhyun gasped, and then started to cough as he continued to inhale large amounts of air. Sehun took a deep breath himself, his body relaxed once he realized Baekhyun was still alive.

“…Sehun…How did you…”

Suddenly the door to their prison cell closed again, they both turned their heads to look over at it in shock. With his last breath, Luhan had crawled over to the controls and pressed the button to lock them inside their cells.  
  
  


———————————

  
  
  
Chanyeol was shoved inside the prison cell, his eyes were defeated and reflected his deep pain. The door shut and he remained standing motionless, until he caught sight of Sehun and Baekhyun. Sehun was sitting against the wall, his arms around Baekhyun who was sitting in front of him. Baekhyun was leaned back against him, in-between Sehun’s legs, his eyes were closed and it seemed like he was asleep.

Chanyeol only glanced at them momentarily before lowering his head again.  
  
  


———————————

  
  
  
“General, we’ve managed to capture the new Exo Suit and the pilot. I shall destroy them here at the Lunar Base.”

“Excellent job Tubarov. Destroy that suit.” Junmyeon ordered.

“Yes, Sir.”  
  
  


———————————

  
  
  
Inside the Lunar Base mobile dock, the new Exo Suit was standing next to some tall scaffolding. Some OZ soldiers were standing next to it on the scaffolding, and a few of them were busy working on a computer.

Inside the cockpit of the Exo Suit, an OZ soldier was undergoing a simulation. A fake battle was being displayed on the screen, and the soldier was using the controls to interact with it.

“He's caught up with all the targets. His reaction speed surpasses all expectations. Keep testing.” The Lieutenant ordered the soldiers at the computer, who were busy overlooking the statistics on the simulation.

“I'm increasing the simulation level.”

One of the OZ soldiers suddenly interrupted them, “Lieutenant Zitao, Commander Tubarov is on the line.”

Zitao went over to the soldier and stared down at the monitor, Commander Tubarov appeared.

“Commander! This cockpit system penetrates the pilot's brain waves and increases his combat abilities. Our test pilot is reacting as quick as the Mobile Dolls!”

Tubarov’s expression soured, “Then you haven't listened to my orders, Zitao. The orders I issued were to destroy that Exo Suit. Because of Exo Pilot 01, the four engineers were set loose, and are now hiding within the base. I can't have you wasting your time!”

“But sir! I'm convinced this system could be utilized with the OZ mobile suits!”

“Our purpose here is to eradicate the Exo Suits! What’s the point of depending on its system?! Erase the Exo Suits from the universe! Follow my orders!”

The transmission ended, and Zitao remained silent as he stared at the blank monitor.

“What shall we do now, Lieutenant Zitao?”

“Scrapping it will be simple. But first I'd like to have one piece of data. The data on the pilots that can fight as well as the Mobile Dolls.”  
  
  


———————————

  
  
  
Baekhyun was still asleep against Sehun, Chanyeol was sitting across from them, his head lowered in depression.

“Did something trigger you to calm down?” Sehun suddenly asked him.

Chanyeol remained silent, not even lifting his head. Baekhyun moaned as he moved a little, then he slowly opened his eyes. He blinked for a moment before he noticed Sehun’s arms around him. He smiled and snuggled back against him. Suddenly, he noticed Chanyeol sitting in front of them.

“Piao? What are you doing here?”

Chanyeol paused, “…I couldn’t find him…Kyungsoo…They caught me before I could find him…”

Baekhyun stared at him curiously before he looked over at Sehun for an explanation.

“Piao is the Exo Pilot we were fighting. He’s been destroying the colonies.”

“…What?! Why?!”

Chanyeol’s body started to shake, “…I’m sorry for my actions…That suit…It took over my mind.”

“Took over your mind?” Baekhyun asked curiously.

Chanyeol took a deep breath, “The cockpit system, called the Zero system, quickly calculates battle data and feeds the large amounts of stats on estimated values directly back to the pilot. That cockpit increases your combat abilities, but it also drives a pilot to his limits…To the extent that he won't even fear his own death.”

Chanyeol finally looked up at them, “That suit completely took control of my thoughts. It’s extremely dangerous…It even made me hurt Kyungsoo…”

Baekhyun stared at Chanyeol with sympathy and concern.

“Where did that Exo Suit come from?” Sehun asked.

“I stole it. I found out about it’s existence in our classified rebel files, Dr. J built it. It’s called Exo Zero, for obvious reasons. I thought it might be useful to us in defeating OZ.”

The cell door suddenly opened, and Zitao stepped inside. Sehun stared up at him in surprise.

“All of you, come with me.” Zitao demanded.  
  
  


———————————

  
  
  
The pilots walked together behind Zitao, behind them were a group of soldiers. Sehun stared at Zitao’s face, analyzing it for a moment.

“Is your name Huang Zitao?”

Zitao looked back at him with a cocky expression. Baekhyun stared over at Sehun curiously.

“Yeah, so even the Exo Pilots know who I am huh?”

Sehun remained silent, Baekhyun leaned over to whisper to him, “Who is he?”

Sehun leaned down to whisper back to Baekhyun, “He’s my Step-uncle. He looks almost identical to my Stepfather.”

Baekhyun looked up at Sehun in shock, “What? Really?”

The soldiers pointed their guns at them, “Silence! No more talking!”  
  
  


———————————

  
  
  
Zitao decided to briefly analyze the pilots abilities before selecting which one would test the Exo Zero Suit first. Their handcuffs were removed, and they performed a few short tests on the computer. After looking over the data, Zitao was impressed with Sehun’s skills and decided he should be first. Sehun was ordered to sit inside Exo Zero’s cockpit, and Baekhyun watched him nervously as they attached sensors to Sehun’s head to monitor his brain activity.

Baekhyun and Chanyeol stood next to the soldiers on the narrow scaffolding in front of the Exo Zero Suit, both of them had a worried expression.

“…Be careful Sehun…” Baekhyun spoke quietly to himself.

“Make him fight the Mobile Doll data!” Zitao ordered.

The simulation started, and Sehun began clicking the buttons on his control stick with rapid speed. Each finger possessed it’s own unique control, but he manipulated the intricate mechanism with ease. His eyes quickly darted back and forth as he looked at the screen in front of him, annihilating the Mobile Dolls.

“He's good. He isn't an Exo Pilot for nothing…and he hasn’t even reached his limit yet.” One of the soldiers commented.

“Check his fastest reaction.” Zitao ordered.

Baekhyun watched the data on the computer screen nervously. He was very well aquatinted with Sehun’s abilities, and it was obvious to him that Sehun was far surpassing them at the moment. 

“These combat abilities are extremely high. Incredible!” The soldier smiled as he watched the data.

Sehun’s eyes continued flashing across the screen, his pupils slowly began dilating as his hands started shaking on the controls.

“My…my enemies…Who are my enemies?!”

The lights on the Exo Zero Suit suddenly turned on and it started to move. Everyone turned to look at it in shock.

“What?! It’s moving!”

“Sehun!!” 

Zitao looked over at Baekhyun curiously, “…Sehun?”

Sehun raised the suit’s hand and destroyed the majority of the scaffolding, the bridge crumbled in front of everyone’s view and the soldiers backed away in fear. Baekhyun held onto the railing as he called out to him.

“Sehun!!!”

“Get the Mobile Dolls!” Zitao shouted.

Soon Mobile Dolls began to fill the area, and Sehun started firing at them. One of the Mobile Dolls exploded, and the blast blew in the direction of everyone still standing on the scaffolding. Chanyeol tried to pull Baekhyun away to safety, but Baekhyun clung tight to the railing, not wishing to run away.

“Sehun!” Baekhyun cried again, hoping to get his attention.

“No, that’s not Wu! It’s already taken control of his mind!” Chanyeol explained.

“Increase the number of mobile dolls!” Zitao ordered.

Sehun continued attacking everything, moving around recklessly. His facial expression hardened, and eyes fell dark, void of any warmth. 

“My enemies are the ones who toy with my life.” Sehun spoke slowly in a cold voice.

Flashes of unpleasant memories filled Sehun’s mind, remembering Dr. J, and his Stepfather.

“Contact Commander Tubarov for backup!” One of the soldiers desperately called out to Zitao.

“How can we tell him about our blunder, you fool?!”

Sehun heard Zitao’s voice, and looked over at him, zooming in on his face on his monitor. In his delusional state, Zitao’s resemblance to his Stepfather caused Sehun to believe it was really him standing there. Sehun raised his beam sword and swung it at Zitao, destroying the scaffolding around him. Baekhyun averted his eyes as Zitao fell through the tall scaffolding to the ground below.

Chanyeol grabbed Baekhyun again and forced him to run off with him. The soldiers spotted them escaping and ran after them. They entered another room, where the doctors had been hiding their Exo Suits, and Chanyeol looked up at them in surprise.

“Hey, our suits!”

Baekhyun started running towards his Exo Suit, “The doctors were rebuilding them for us! Hurry, let’s go!”

The soldiers entered the room and called out to them as they pointed their guns at them, “Stop! What are you doing?! Stop!!”  
  
  


———————————

  
  
  
Sehun made his way through the Lunar base, destroying everything in his path. He cut through a large metal door to proceed, and fired at more Mobile Dolls. Sehun reached up and ripped the brain sensors off his head, still carrying a cold vacant expression. His proximity alarm suddenly started sounding, and he looked over to see Baekhyun approaching him in his Exo Suit.

“Sehun, wake up! Don’t let it control you!”

Sehun remained unresponsive as Baekhyun stepped closer to him.

“Don’t let that worthless machinery make you lose something important! I don't want to lose something important to me…I don’t want to lose you.”

“Byun, I've got a very clear view of the enemy. If you're going to be an enemy, then I'll have to kill you too.”

Baekhyun paused, his expression weakened in sorrow, “Sehun, please! Don’t let it control you! Your mind is stronger than that machine! Don’t become the weapon they always wanted you to be!”

“I can see my target! I see my enemy!” Sehun shouted as he suddenly flew towards Baekhyun.

Baekhyun stopped moving. He decided to remain completely vulnerable as Sehun flew towards him.

“Sehun…I believe in you.”

Sehun cut Baekhyun’s suit with his beam saber, Baekhyun’s cockpit began sparking and Baekhyun shuddered in pain as it zapped him. He slowly reached forward to his controls and made his image appear on Sehun’s monitor.

“Sehun, you’re not alone!!”

Sehun stared at the image of Baekhyun on his screen and sat back in his seat, his eyes widening in surprise. Suddenly he bent over and covered his mouth, almost throwing up. He slammed his hand on his controls, and his cockpit opened. Sehun stepped out onto the door, and then fell to the ground below as he passed out.

Baekhyun quickly jumped out of his suit and rushed over to Sehun. He knelt down next to him and held onto him gently, lifting him onto his lap.

“Sehun…Let’s go back to the Earth. The Earth was kind to us.”


	15. The Promise

OZ soldiers combed the beach, looking for survivors of the mysterious shuttle that had crashed on the shore. Eventually, they came upon two space helmets.

“We've found two space suits. It appears that only the two landed here.” An OZ soldier radioed in to headquarters.

“Roger. At least two Exo Pilots escaped to Earth. Find them. I’ll call for back-up.”

“Yes, Sir.”  
  
  


——————————

 

Baekhyun’s Exo Suit was hidden under the foliage of large trees, along with the Exo ZERO Suit. Sehun and Baekhyun were standing next to them on the ground.

“We’ll need to find a place to stay for now, and get some food.” Baekhyun spoke as he looked up at the suits.

“We need to be careful. It won’t be long before they find our shuttle and start looking for us.”

Baekhyun smirked, “We’ll just need a good disguise then.”

Sehun paused as he stared at Baekhyun, waiting to hear his idea.

“No one will suspect newlyweds to be Exo Pilots. Do you think you can act the part?”

“I should be able to handle it, it’s similar to the contract with my father.”

Baekhyun waved his hands with a disgusted expression, “No no, please don’t treat it like that, I don’t want to make a contract. Just treat it like a mission, incognito.”

Sehun nodded, “Roger.”

Baekhyun took some rings off his fingers, placing one of them on his own ring finger, and handing the other one to Sehun.

“Here, put this on.”

Baekhyun smiled to himself as he watched Sehun take off his glove and place the ring on his finger. He was going to have a lot of fun with this.  
  
  


——————————

 

Sehun had his arm wrapped around Baekhyun’s shoulder as they walked along the street together. Baekhyun couldn’t stop smiling, he had his arm wrapped around Sehun’s waist, and they were pressed close together as they walked.

“We need to go buy some new clothes. We stand out like this.” Baekhyun explained, staring at Sehun’s battle suit.

Sehun nodded, “I agree.”

Baekhyun looked around and spotted a high end men’s wear store. After purchasing some rather expensive button up shirts and slacks, they changed their clothes in the changing room. Baekhyun stared in the mirror at his greasy hair, realizing it had been a long time since they had a chance to bathe. 

Baekhyun snuck into Sehun’s changing room and found him pushing through the last few buttons on his shirt.

Sehun looked over at him, “What is it?”

Baekhyun approached him and reached for his hair, “Here, let me fix it a bit. We’re such a mess.”

Sehun lowered his head so it would be easier for Baekhyun to reach, and Baekhyun did his best to arrange Sehun’s hair nicely. Once he was done, Baekhyun wiped Sehun’s face with his finger, trying to get some dirt off.

They made their way over to a nice hotel together, one fitting for a couple on a honeymoon as Baekhyun had described to Sehun, and went inside.

“We’d like a room.”

Baekhyun snuggled closer to Sehun as he placed one of his hands on Sehun’s chest. The attendant smiled at them as she began typing on her computer.

“What brings you to these parts?”

“We’re on our honeymoon.” Sehun answered in a monotone voice.

The woman stared at him curiously,“You don’t sound too excited about it.”

Sehun paused, realizing his lack of emotion was ruining their cover. Baekhyun watched Sehun’s face in amazement as Sehun contrived a small smile. He suddenly pulled Baekhyun closer to himself and placed a gentle kiss on Baekhyun’s cheek. Baekhyun’s heart nervously pounded as he felt Sehun’s lips press against his skin. It happened so fast, and ended so quickly, but after Sehun pulled away, Baekhyun could still feel the slight moisture from Sehun’s lips on his cheek. Baekhyun closed his eyes and concentrated on it.

Sehun continued wearing his small smile as he turned to look at the woman, “We are very happy.”

The woman smiled at them, “Sorry, you must be tired huh? Weddings are always such a big hassle. Anyway, I’m guessing you wanted the honeymoon suite?”

Baekhyun took a deep breath and nodded, “Yes please.”  
  
  


——————————

 

Once they unlocked and opened their door, Baekhyun smiled brightly at the luxurious atmosphere and sophistication of the room. Large windows took up the entirety of one wall, and allowed an expansive view of a garden with a large pond. The furniture was sleek and elegant, harmoniously placed around the generously sized room. Sehun paused for a moment staring at it, he had never been in a room this nice before. Baekhyun walked throughout the room, looking around at everything, and paused once he glanced into the bathroom and spotted the giant spa bathtub, which looked more like a hot tub. Baekhyun ran into the bathroom, and let out a sigh of joy, realizing the bathroom also had large windows to the beautiful garden outside.

“We should take a bath.” Baekhyun called out to Sehun as he returned to the other room.

“I’ve never taken a bath before.”

“Really? They’re amazing! There’s enough room for both of us in there, we can take one at the same time if you don’t mind.”

“I don’t.”

Baekhyun smiled as he made his way over to the phone, “I’ll order some room service.”  
  
  


——————————

 

Baekhyun let out a long relaxing sigh as he laid back into the bathtub, sinking into the hot water. Sehun finished taking off his clothes and Baekhyun bit his lip as he watched him come over to the tub and step down into it, sitting on the bench submerged in the water. Sehun rested his back against the back of the tub and closed his eyes, feeling the soothing effect of the warm water.

“It feels great huh? Especially when you’re sore.”

Sehun nodded, “Mm.”

“Not even the bath at my castle was this nice, and it definitely didn’t have a view like this.” Baekhyun sighed as he looked out the window.

The plentiful amount of food Baekhyun had ordered was sitting next to the tub. Baekhyun had decided to fully spoil himself and enjoy their meal while soaking in the water. They both took occasional bites of food, and Baekhyun smiled to himself once he noticed Sehun was eating more desert items than anything else.

“You like sweets?”

“I like chocolate.”

Baekhyun laughed, “I would never have guessed.”

Baekhyun smiled gently as he watched Sehun eat another chocolate strawberry, “Although, I can’t say I can really guess very much about you at all.”

“There’s not much to guess.”

“Well, there was at least one thing, I’m sure there are others.”

Sehun paused thinking for a moment before he took another bite. After finishing their luxurious feast, they remained silent for a long while closing their eyes and relaxing, however Baekhyun did open his eyes occasionally to steal glances at Sehun and admire his body. Although Baekhyun had a generous amount of time to stare at Sehun’s naked body as long as he wanted when Sehun was in a coma, he could never get enough of it. Besides, it was so much more alluring when Sehun was awake and moving, not to mention submerged in water.

Baekhyun smirked as he scooted closer to Sehun, “Have you ever had a massage?”

Sehun opened his eyes, “No.”

“Here, let me give you one. You must be so tense all the time.”

Baekhyun reached for Sehun and gently pushed him to sit up, Sehun moved sideways on the bench to give Baekhyun access to his back. Baekhyun bit down on his lip as he began to rub Sehun’s back with his hands, enjoying the feeling of Sehun’s toned muscles. Sehun closed his eyes and took in slow breaths of air, his body unconsciously relaxing at Baekhyun’s touch. He made small grunts when Baekhyun caressed a particularly sore part of his body, Baekhyun noticed and spent extra time on those spots.

“You have so many knots.” Baekhyun mentioned as he continued rubbing a particularly tense part of his back.

Sehun continued grunting and Baekhyun closed his eyes as he listened to him, imagining a different situation in his mind for Sehun to be making those sounds. He took a deep breath and opened his eyes, trying not to let himself get too excited.

“… Sehun…do you have any plans on where we should head to now?”

“There isn’t any place I want to go.”

Baekhyun paused moving his hands, “We have no place to go, do we?”

Sehun opened his eyes, “As long as Earth is a war zone, I'm going to fight. You have no choice but to fight as well, because we're Exo Pilots. The battlefield is the only place we're allowed to live. For us, I guess the meaning of life is to survive battles.”

Baekhyun grabbed Sehun’s arm to turn him around, “That’s not true. I’ll show you, there is so much more to life besides fighting.”

Sehun remained silent as he stared at Baekhyun. Baekhyun stared into his eyes and took a deep breath.

“Sehun, have you heard of the Sanc Kingdom? It comes up in OZ's confidential data as a problematic nation.”

“The Pacifist Kingdom?”

“Yes, would you like to go? I'm sure we could be of some help to them.”

Sehun paused and then nodded, “It'd be wiser to keep hiding. But we always end up fighting. Wherever I go it's the same, because fighting is all I can do…”

Baekhyun squeezed his arm gently, “That’s because you’ve never tried anything else.”

Baekhyun raised his arm and held out his pinky to Sehun, “Promise me that you’ll try.”

Sehun stared down at Baekhyun’s folded hand, “What are you doing?”

Baekhyun giggled, “It’s a pinky promise, you’re not allowed to break it. Here, make your fist like mine.”

Sehun raised his hand and copied the position of Baekhyun’s fingers, extending his pinky.

“Do you promise?”

Sehun paused for a moment, “…Mm.”

Baekhyun locked their pinkies together, “Good, now I never want to hear you say that you’re just a weapon, or fighting is all you can do, or that the meaning of life is surviving battles. From this day forward I will show you what real life is like, so try to enjoy it, ok?”

Sehun paused again, “…Roger.”

Baekhyun laughed, “This isn’t a mission, just say ok.”

“Ok.”  
  
  


——————————

 

Baekhyun and Sehun snuck through the forest to get to the beach, dressed again in their normal attire. Since their mobile suits were out of power, Sehun decided to ambush the OZ search party that was after them and commandeer one of their battleships to use as transport to the Sanc Kingdom.

They stayed low to the ground as they carefully crawled through the trees. Sehun stopped Baekhyun every once in a while, thinking he heard something. Suddenly a group of men popped out of the trees and surrounded them, each of them carrying a gun and pointing it at them.

“We’ve got you now Exo Pilots! We’re going to surrender you to OZ!”

Sehun noticed they were not soldiers, just normal civilians that must have been after the reward on their heads. Sehun calmly raised his hands and placed them behind his head, Baekhyun noticed and copied him.

Baekhyun stared over at Sehun nervously, and Sehun leaned in to whisper to him, “Don’t worry, these are just normal civilians, we can handle it.”

Baekhyun paused smiling, taking note of the fact that Sehun said we.  
  
  


——————————

 

Sehun and Baekhyun were tied to chairs together, back to back with rope wrapped around their chests. Their hands were bound behind the chairs, interlocked with each other. Baekhyun spent a moment wondering to himself how Sehun would get them out of this one.

“Byun, can you reach my boot with your foot?”

“Let me see.”

Baekhyun took off his shoe with his other foot, and then removed his sock by pinching it off. He reached his leg back and started feeling for the top of Sehun’s boot. 

“I keep a knife in my boot, do you think you can grab it?”

“I’ll try.”

Baekhyun poked his toes inside and started feeling for the knife. He found the hilt and pinched it with his toes, pulling it out.

“Got it!”

“Can you reach my hands?”

Baekhyun bent his leg as far as he could, lifting it to Sehun’s hands. Sehun grabbed the blade and flipped it over in his hands. He started sawing the rope, going slowly due to the difficulty of his hands being bound. Once his hands were free he brought them around to the front of his body and quickly began untying the rope tied around their chests. They stood up and shook off the rope once it was loose enough. Sehun went over to Baekhyun and freed his hands, Baekhyun watched him closely as he smiled to himself.

Sehun put his knife back in his boot and made his way over to the door, there were two guards standing on the other side. Sehun slammed the door open and knocked the guards onto the floor. Before they could stand, Sehun and Baekhyun had already stolen their guns. Sehun used the butt of his gun and smacked them both in the head, causing them to pass out.

Sehun and Baekhyun snuck down the hallway together, they had been detained inside a normal civilian’s house as they waited for the OZ officials to arrive. They continued through the house, knocking out guards as they came across them, and made their way to the back door. Once they were out of the house, they spotted a truck parked nearby.

Sehun signaled his hand for Baekhyun to follow him and they crept quietly towards the truck. They hopped inside and Sehun began to hot wire the vehicle. Baekhyun watched him with a smirk on his face, he wondered what they hadn’t trained Sehun to do.

The truck started and some guards heard the sound of the engine, they started screaming and firing at the truck.

Sehun turned to look at Baekhyun, “Here, you take the wheel.”

Sehun climbed over and Baekhyun crawled into the driver seat. Baekhyun started driving off and the men jumped into a few other cars to start pursuing them, still firing. Sehun grabbed his gun and stuck his body out the window to start firing back at them. Baekhyun drove towards the forest, hoping to lose the other cars in the rough terrain.

Sehun suddenly lunged inside the truck to push down Baekhyun’s head. A round of gunfire rained on their truck and their back windshield shattered. Baekhyun took a deep breath, realizing he almost just died. Sehun popped back out to continue shooting, sitting on the open window. He managed to hit one of the drivers and they flopped over in their car, veering off the road and smacking into a tree.

Sehun’s gun began clicking and he popped back inside the truck, “I’m out.”

As Baekhyun continued driving, he took off the gun slung around his shoulder and handed it to Sehun. Sehun aimed carefully, calculating when to shoot as the truck continued to bounce, and fired at the remaining car’s engine. The engine exploded and the car flipped a few times as it was blown into the air. It crashed back into the ground and blew up in a loud explosion.

Baekhyun came to an abrupt stop as their car got stuck in a ditch. Baekhyun tightly griped onto the steering wheel and lowered his head as he took a few deep breaths. Sehun grabbed Baekhyun wrist and began pulling him out of the car.

“Let’s go.”

They snuck off into the trees, leaving the truck behind them.  
  
  


——————————

 

Sehun and Baekhyun finally reached the shore, and spotted ten large battleships waiting on the water. Baekhyun sighed and shook his head.

“Are you sure about this? I know you’re superhuman, but there are ten battleships, and we only have one gun. How will we even get over there?”

Sehun looked up and spotted a plane flying above them. It landed on the shore, and soldiers began to file out of it. Sehun started to move quietly towards it and Baekhyun paused for a moment before following him.  
  
  


——————————

 

“No signs of the Exo Suits or the pilots yet sir.”

“Keep looking. Remember, our orders are to shoot the pilots on site, they are not needed.”

“Yes, Sir!”

Sehun and Baekhyun suddenly jumped down off the plane. Sehun rammed into one of the soldiers while Baekhyun lowered to the ground and spun in a circle to kick out the other two soldier’s legs. They quickly grabbed the soldier’s guns and hopped into the small plane.

Sehun took the steering and began flying towards the battle ships, “Now we have four guns, and a plane.”

Baekhyun laughed, amused that Sehun had retorted him, “The odds are still against us.”

Sehun crash landed onto one of the battleships as they were fired upon by the enemy. Sehun opened the door to the plane as it skid across the runway, and jumped out to roll on the ground. Baekhyun opened the door on the opposite side of the plane and fired his gun at the soldiers as the plane continued to skid.

“Enemy attack! Enemy attack!” The soldiers cried out as they were fired upon.  
  
  


——————————

 

Sehun dropped down onto a lone soldier from a higher level in the battleship and smacked him with the butt of his gun. Stepping over his body, Sehun ran off towards the mobile suits kept on board. He jumped inside one of the suits and immediately began firing on the other empty mobile suits, destroying them.

 

——————————

 

Baekhyun shot at a keypad and opened the door to the main control room. He pointed his gun at the captain.

“Put your hands up!”

The Captain along with the other operators all raised their hands as they turned to look at Baekhyun. They looked at him curiously, realizing he was only a young teenage boy.

“Advise the other ships too. I don’t want to make things worse than they are.” Baekhyun continued threatening.

The Captain secretly went to reach for his gun, but stopped when a blinding light suddenly filled the room. Sehun shined the light from his mobile suit through the window at them all. His voice was suddenly heard through the speaker.

“Better do what my partner tells you. Personally I would have already opened fire.”

Baekhyun looked up at Sehun’s suit and brightly smiled, overjoyed to hear Sehun call him his partner.  
  
  


——————————

 

The soldiers from the OZ battleships all sat in rafts on the ocean, slowly making their way towards the shore. The battleships behind them were smoking from the destruction Sehun had caused them. Sehun and Baekhyun were standing together on the deck of the only undamaged battleship, looking out at the ocean together. Baekhyun smiled to himself as he stared at the rafts full of soldiers, amazed that they actually pulled off taking over ten battleships.

Baekhyun turned to look at Sehun as he continued smiling, “I’m excited.”

“For what?” Sehun asked as he watched Baekhyun’s hair float around him from the breeze of the ocean.

“There’s so much I want to show you.” Baekhyun reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper. “I have a list.”

“A list?”

“Yeah, you promised you would try new things, I have a list of things you should experience in life.”

Baekhyun unfolded the paper and stared down at the words before waving it up for Sehun to see, “So we need to start crossing these off, ok?”

Sehun nodded, “Ok.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just FYI, this is where this story switches gears for a while. There is going to be a lot less fighting and whatnot, although still a little bit of it. Tons of SeBaek development to come, are you guys ready?


	16. The Sanc Kingdom

“Princess Nari, may I have a word with you?” An old man addressed the Princess as she sat at her desk.

“What is it, Pagan?”

“Minseok instructed me to keep this a secret from you... But I believe you'd do better with as many allies as possible. So I'll tell you.”

Princess Nari stared at him curiously, “Allies?”

“We've been able to locate the Exo Pilots, Wu Shi Xun and Bian Boxian. Minseok is on his way to meet with them. Minseok wants to bring them here to the Sanc Kingdom.”

Princess Nari paused, “Exo Pilots are coming…”  
  
  


—————————

 

Baekhyun was sitting with Sehun in the control room, his legs rested on the dashboard. He was humming to himself when the controls started beeping, indicating someone was trying to contact them. Sehun pressed a button, and an image on Minseok’s face appeared on their monitor.

“Commander Minseok? Put him through.” Baekhyun spoke curiously.

Sehun pressed another button and their image was broadcast on Minseok’s monitor. Minseok smiled at them.

“Requesting permission to land.”

“What are you doing here?” Baekhyun asked.

“I’ve come to bring you to the Sanc Kingdom.”

Baekhyun smirked, “What a coincidence, we were heading there ourselves. No need to kidnap us this time.”

Minseok laughed, “No no, this time you are honored guests.”  
  
  


—————————

 

Sehun and Baekhyun landed in the Sanc Kingdom via Minseok’s private jet. Minseok opened the door for them, and they exited the plane together. As they made their way down the steps, Baekhyun spotted a young girl standing waiting for them, accompanied by an old man.

Princess Nari blushed once she gained sight of Sehun’s face, she stared at him for a long moment as he came down the steps.

_“There’s something so wild about him…”_

Nari approached them once they had taken the last step. She curtsied a little as she stared at them both.

“It’s nice to meet you, I am Princess Yoon Nari of the Sanc Kingdom.”

Baekhyun bowed to her, but Sehun remained standing.

“It’s an honor to meet you, Princess Yoon. My name is Bian Boxian.”

Nari smiled as she looked over at Sehun, “And your name is?”

“Wu Shi Xun.”

“Wu, Bian, I know we will become good friends.”

Baekhyun noticed the Princess’s eyes linger for a long time on Sehun’s face. He hoped he was just imagining things. There was no denying that the Princess was a beautiful girl, Baekhyun didn’t want any interference from her.  
  
  


—————————

 

Minseok brought Sehun and Baekhyun to the Sanc Kingdom’s secret underground base. Their Exo Suits had already been delivered there. Surrounding them was an entire fleet of mobile suits. Baekhyun looked up at them with a raised eyebrow.

“Armed units that shouldn't be found in a pacifist nation. They're space mobile suits re-equipped for land battles. Does the Princess know about these units?”

“No, she doesn’t. But now is the time to fight back. I can’t afford to lose this nation again, I need to protect it for Jongdae’s sake.”  
  
  


—————————

 

A special limo was provided for Sehun and Baekhyun, and they were taken to the Pacifist School Princess Nari was the Director for. Baekhyun had already changed into the school uniform given to them, but Sehun decided to remain in his battle suit for the time being. Once they arrived, they were greeted by Pagan, Princess Nari’s Butler.

“Pricness Nari is waiting in the Institution Director's room.”

Baekhyun bowed slightly, “Thank you, we'll find our way in alone from here.”

The school building was made of stone, and it resembled an old victorian castle. The campus surrounding it was rather expansive, full of trees and other beautiful plants. Baekhyun smiled as he looked around at it all, slowly following behind Sehun who was walking at a faster pace.

The girls on the campus took notice of them, Sehun and Baekhyun easily stood out, being some of the only current male students at the pacifist school. Baekhyun overheard them whispering about them.

“Who are they?”

“Some boys for a change! I wonder where they're from?”

“They are so handsome!”

“Isn't the one in front a bodyguard?”

“I don’t know, he's kind of young for a bodyguard.”

Baekhyun laughed as he stared at Sehun, he really did look like his bodyguard, wearing that outfit of his.

As they walked along, Baekhyun noticed a large tree. He grabbed Sehun’s arm to stop him from walking for a moment.

“Look how old that tree is…We should eat there at lunch.”

Sehun looked up at the tree and nodded.  
  
  


—————————

 

“On behalf of this Institution I welcome you both on your admission. Wu, haven’t you received your school uniform yet?” Princess Nari asked as she stared at him.

“Yes, I just haven’t changed yet.”

“Are you sure the Exo Pilots won’t be a burden to the Sanc Kingdom?” Baekhyun asked.

“I don't need to go out of my way to announce your arrival. But hiding the facts won't solve anything either. Besides, there are no battles in this country. So if anyone asks, you're simply students here.”

Princess Nari stood from her desk and made her way towards the door, “Please, follow me.”  
  
  


—————————

 

Sehun and Baekhyun stood together at the front of the class, Sehun now wearing the school uniform, as Princess Nari introduced them. The girls in the class were giggling and whispering to each other as they stared at them both.

“I'd like you all to meet your two new classmates. Would you introduce yourselves?”

Baekhyun bowed, “Bian Boxian, it’s nice to meet you all.”

Baekhyun heard some of the girls gasp, “He looks like a prince!”

Baekhyun laughed and shook his head, he wondered if it had to do more with his royal blood, or his royal upbringing, or maybe neither. He just couldn’t escape his own princely image.

“My name is Wu Shi Xun. It's a pleasure.”

Sehun and Baekhyun sat down together, and Baekhyun leaned over to whisper to Sehun.

“They're all girls…”

Sehun didn’t respond, but he took note of Baekhyun’s words. He had also noticed that fact, they both felt a little out of place.

Princess Nari began giving a speech to the class, “There's no need for armaments in Total Pacifism. But unless the whole world embraces this ideology I'm sure the Sanc Kingdom will never be a safe country. Under these circumstances I'm delighted to be attending classes with you who are poised to take on responsibilities for the future of your nations. I hope that we can think of a way to eliminate wars from the world as soon as possible…”  
  
  


—————————

 

Sehun and Baekhyun walked down the hallway together to get to their next class. Baekhyun smiled as he turned his head to look over at Sehun.

“So how does it feel, not worrying about a mission or trying to survive?”

Sehun paused, he hadn’t really reflected on that yet, “…I don’t know.”

Baekhyun smiled, “You know, kids our age just care about getting good grades and falling in love.”

“I already get good grades.”

Baekhyun laughed, “Well then, maybe you should try the other one.”

Princess Nari suddenly popped up in front of them, staring at Sehun again, “Yes, please try to enjoy yourselves while you’re here! A little romance certainly wouldn’t hurt.”

Baekhyun paused, trying his best not to openly glare at her, “Oh, hello Princess Yoon.”

Nari sighed, “I haven’t had time myself to find a romance of my own, perhaps now would be a good time.”

Baekhyun secretly stuck his tongue out at her in disgust. She noticed out of the corner of her eye and turned to look at him, but Baekhyun had already quickly tucked his tongue back inside his mouth.  
  
  


—————————

 

Sehun was busy shooting hoops in his gym class. Due to the lack of other boys, Sehun was allowed to basically do whatever physical activity he wanted. Anyone normal probably would have slacked off, but Sehun was used a lot of activity. He worked himself into a hard sweat, running around the court dribbling the ball and shooting baskets.

He took a break to drink some water, and quickly tore the cap off his water bottle. He took a large gulp and some of it began to drip down his face. He wiped it off with his arm and then picked up his towel. He felt someone’s eyes on him and looked up at the school building window. Baekhyun was perched on one of the open windows, he smiled and waved at Sehun once he had spotted him. Sehun slowly looked away with a shy expression.

_Thump thump_

Sehun noticed his sporadic heartbeat again. He took a deep breath, concentrating on calming it down. He wondered if he had been playing too hard.  
  
  


—————————

 

Baekhyun entered Sehun’s dorm room holding a bag of groceries. He looked around the room in awe.

“These rooms are nice!”

Compared to the other dorms they had stayed at, this one was in fact much larger, with multiple rooms. There was a main living room, a kitchen, and a bedroom connected to a bathroom down the hall. In contrast to the old castle look of the building, the rooms looked rather modern, with a clean open floor plan and contemporary furniture.

Sehun put his shoulder bag on the floor and started to undo his tie, pulling it off before taking off his jacket as well. Baekhyun watched him, and was surprised to see that Sehun was wearing his gun holster under his jacket. He laughed to himself, knowing that Princess Nari probably wouldn’t appreciate him bringing guns to class.

Baekhyun walked towards the kitchen with his grocery bag, “I’ll go make some dinner.”  
  
  


—————————

 

Baekhyun sat at the table next to Sehun with droopy eyes, staring down at the homework in front of him. He was hoping for a good night of bonding with Sehun, but instead, Sehun had started doing his homework when Baekhyun was busy cleaning up in the kitchen. He sighed as he tapped his pencil on the paper before he looked up at Sehun.

“You know, we really don’t have to do this stuff. It’s not like school is actually important for us.”

Sehun remained silent as he continued working and Baekhyun peeked over to see how much he had already finished.

“You’re so fast! That’s not even due until next week!”

Baekhyun watched Sehun’s pencil dart across the paper, quickly writing down his thoughts. Baekhyun started to read his essay, curious what he was writing.

_“…With the colonies' development, people live in new surroundings. Thanks to plentiful natural resources and cultivated technological abilities. However, this new world is nothing but an imitation of humankind's motherland, the Earth. It’s said the main purpose the colonies were created in the first place was technological development to enrich mankind's life on Earth…”_

Baekhyun blinked a few times, too tired to keep reading the material Sehun was writing. He yawned as he stretched his arms into the air. He wondered if Sehun ever thought about anything else besides politics and war.

No longer having any more patience for homework, Baekhyun decided it was time for the bonding he had planned on. He smiled as he stared at Sehun.

“Sehun, do you have any pictures of yourself?”

Sehun looked up at him, “No.”

Baekhyun quickly stood up from his seat to go over to Sehun. He leaned on Sehun’s shoulder as he took out his phone. He struck a pose as he flipped his camera to look at them. Sehun’s expression remained blank as Baekhyun took a picture of them both. Baekhyun smiled as he looked at the photo.

“Do you have a phone?” Baekhyun asked, feeling like he already knew the answer.

“No.”

“So you really got all your missions from the computer?”

“Yes.”

“That’s kind of a pain.” Baekhyun laughed, “Well, I’ll just have to keep this for you.”

Sehun went back to working and Baekhyun watched him as he continued standing next to him.

“When is your birthday?” Baekhyun asked curiously, trying his best to tear Sehun’s attention away from the homework.

“I don’t remember.”

Baekhyun paused, “I see, that’s too bad…”

Baekhyun sat down in the seat next to Sehun and continued staring at him.

“Remember when you tore up my invitation?” Baekhyun laughed.

“Sorry.” Sehun answered, causing a large smile to grow on Baekhyun’s face. The last response Baekhyun was expecting was an apology.

“It’s ok, just promise to come next time.”

Sehun suddenly placed his pencil down on his paper. He looked over at Baekhyun and raised his hand, his pinky extended. Baekhyun looked down at it and brightly smiled. Baekhyun quickly raised his own hand and locked their pinkies together in a promise. He wondered if Sehun thought this was a normal way of making a promise. There was no way Baekhyun was going tell him it was just a thing kids usually did. He bit his lip trying not to laugh at how adorable it was.  
  
  


—————————

 

Princess Nari spotted Sehun and Baekhyun eating their lunch together under a large old tree. She watched in jealousy as Baekhyun smiled and suddenly held up a bite of food to Sehun’s face. Sehun blankly stared at Baekhyun for a moment before he opened his mouth, allowing Baekhyun to feed him. A group of girls watching them broke out into loud squealing at the sight. Baekhyun turned to look at the girls, smiling and waving at them. He smirked to himself for a second as he turned back to look at Sehun. He scooted closer to Sehun and leaned over to bite his shoulder, the girls began squealing even louder.

“Look how he throws himself all over Wu, so embarrassing. Forcing him to eat his food like that, it probably doesn’t even taste good.” One of Princess Nari’s friends remarked, noticing the jealousy in Nari’s eyes.

“Wu is just to courteous to refuse him.” Another friend added.

“I have an idea!” Nari suddenly exclaimed.

“What is it Princess Nari?”

“I’ll make him a lunch tomorrow, a real lunch made with a women’s touch.”

“But how will you get him away from Bian? He’s always clinging to him.”

Princess Nari confidently smiled, “I’ll need your help.”

Once the bell rang and Sehun and Baekhyun parted to make their way to their classes, the group of squealing girls ran after Baekhyun to approach him.

“Are you two really a couple?!”

Nari stayed close by to listen to them after hearing their question.

Baekhyun smiled and winked at them, “Please root for me.”

They squealed again, “We’ll always support you!”

Nari glared at Baekhyun, realizing that he really was a threat.  
  
  


—————————

 

The next day, Princess Nari proudly showed the dosirak she made for Sehun to her friends.

“Princess Nari, you’ve outdone yourself! It’s so perfectly made!”

“Wu will love it! For once he’ll have something delicious to eat!” Another friend encouraged her.  
“Thank you everyone, I put all my heart into it. I’m sure he’ll understand my feelings through my food.” Princess Nari smiled.  
  
  


—————————

 

As Baekhyun was leaving his class to go to lunch, he was suddenly barraged by Princess Nari’s friends.

“Bian, please come eat with us!”

Baekhyun stared at them strangely, “What?”

Nari watched her friends from afar as they completely surrounded Baekhyun and harassed him with fake compliments. She smirked to herself and walked off towards Sehun, who was sitting alone under the tree waiting for Baekhyun.

“Wu, it’s so rare to see you sitting alone.”

Sehun ignored her as he continued staring blankly forward. Nari coughed a little to ease the awkward atmosphere and handed out the lunch she made. 

“I made this for you.”

Sehun looked up at her with a cold expression, “I already have a lunch.”

Nari twitched, “I don’t see anything.”

“Byun always cooks for me.”

Nari twitched again, “That doesn’t mean you have to eat it. Why not try food made with my feminine touch?”

Baekhyun had finally broken away from Nari’s friends and approached Sehun. He sat down next to him and looked up at the dosirak Nari was holding out. Baekhyun ignored it and took out the dosirak he had prepared for Sehun. Sehun grabbed it and opened it, revealing a beautifully arranged lunchbox, full of well prepared food. Nari stared down at it in shock, never seeing it up close before.

“It can’t be! There’s no way he made that!” Nari thought to herself.

Sehun began eating it, and Baekhyun looked up at Nari again.

“Did you need something, Princess Yoon?”

Nari quickly snapped out of her jealous expression and regained her composure. She lowered her dosirak and laughed a little.

“Where did you buy that? It looks pretty well made.”

“Thank you, I actually made it myself.” Baekhyun answered with a smile.

Nari politely giggled, “Really? It looks like a girl made it. Surely you don’t have enough time to cook all that.”

“He made it.” Sehun suddenly interrupted.

Nari cringed as she looked down at Sehun still eating his meal.

“I admit it is pretty, but that doesn't always mean it tastes good. You should try-”

“It tastes good.” Sehun interrupted again.

Baekhyun smiled at Sehun, touched to hear Sehun say it out loud.

“You already finished all of your jangjorim?” Baekhyun asked, taking note of what Sehun chose to devour first.

Sehun remained silent as Baekhyun pinched some of his own jangjorim with his chopsticks and held it up to Sehun’s face, “Have some of mine.”

Sehun paused for a moment before he leaned forward a little to eat off of Baekhyun’s chopsticks. Nari fumed watching them, but forced a smile onto her face.

“Wu is a grown man, I’m sure he can feed himself. It looks kind of silly when you feed him like that, he must be embarrassed.”

“I’m not concerned with other people’s opinions.” Sehun answered her.

Baekhyun covered his mouth as he laughed a little, glad that Sehun was bothering to answer her.  
  
  


—————————

 

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Baekhyun asked Sehun nervously as Sehun sat in the cockpit of the Exo ZERO suit.

“It would be a waste not to utilize the power of this suit. If we want to defeat OZ, we’re going to need a powerful weapon like this. We’ve already failed otherwise.”

Baekhyun paused, “Sure, that just means you need to master the ZERO system somehow.”

Sehun looked away from the controls to stare at Baekhyun, sensing the concern in his voice, “Don’t worry, you have the power to turn off my suit.”

Baekhyun sighed, “Are you ready?”

“Yes.”

Baekhyun reluctantly pressed a button, “Simulation is starting.”

Sehun started pressing his controls rapidly as his eyes were flashing around the screen. Baekhyun sat on the door of the cockpit, watching the data on a small laptop placed on his lap. Sehun’s performance was certainly impressive, but it caused Baekhyun concern more than anything else.

Sehun’s vision began to blur, and the target crosshairs multiplied in his obscured perception of the screen in front of him. Sehun started to breathe heavily as he continued to look around at his enemies. He started to hallucinate, seeing visions of General Junmyeon laughing crazily and attacking him. Junmyeon raised his beam saber and destroyed Sehun’s suit with one swing of his blade, killing him in a giant explosion.

Sehun began screaming as he held tightly onto his head. Baekhyun quickly shut off the power and shot up to go over to Sehun.

“Sehun, are you ok? What happened?” Baekhyun asked with extreme concern in his voice as he reached out to gently hold Sehun’s arm.

Sehun released his head, still breathing heavily. He looked up at Baekhyun and his eyes finally focused.

“…I was hallucinating.”

Baekhyun stared at him for a moment in concern, “Hallucinating? About what?”

“…I thought I died.”

Baekhyun paused before lightly squeezing Sehun’s arm, “Let’s stop for now.”


	17. Normal Life

Construction for a gigantic OZ space battleship was underway, a project which commandeered space's resources and manpower that was becoming a real burden on the citizens of the colonies.

“We're progressing at an aggressive pace. But given the enormous size of the battleship it will take some time yet to complete.” Jongin explained to General Junmyeon on his monitor.

“I don't want excuses. We need this new symbol of our strength as soon as possible.” Junmyeon spoke in a authoritative voice.

“Symbol, Sir?”

“It's crucial that OZ has a symbol of strength to bring the soldiers together. We must also eliminate any country that disrupts such unity.”

Jongin paused, “You’re talking about the Sanc Kingdom?”

“They're nothing more than a hindrance to us.”

“So what you're saying is…”

“We can no longer afford to have any nations that don't obey OZ.”  
  
  


———————————

 

Sehun was sitting on the floor, with his back rested against the couch as he watched the news. Baekhyun was sitting on the couch behind him, starting to get bored with the broadcast. His eyes wandered to stare down at Sehun.

“Your hair is getting kind of long, you need a hair cut.” Baekhyun suddenly noted.

Sehun didn’t respond as he continued watching the TV. Baekhyun got up and lightly nudged Sehun.

“Here, let me cut it. Go get your hair wet and wait for me in the bathroom.”

Sehun listened to him and stood up to go into the bathroom. Baekhyun left to go into his own room to find a pair of scissors and a hair dryer. When Baekhyun came back into Sehun’s room and entered his bathroom, he found Sehun shirtless and dripping wet. Baekhyun bit down on his lip as he came closer to him.

Instead of having Sehun sit down somewhere, Baekhyun decided to hop onto the counter and sit in front of Sehun to reach him. He grabbed Sehun’s arm and pulled him closer to himself. Sehun stood in-between Baekhyun’s legs as Baekhyun began to work on combing his hair. Sehun enjoyed the tingling feeling Baekhyun’s hands gave him as they brushed through his hair. He stared at Baekhyun’s face, watching him as he started to trim his hair.

 

_Thump thump_

 

Sehun recognized the irregular pattern of his heartbeat, he took a deep breath, trying to calm it down, but with Baekhyun sitting right in front of him it was impossible for Sehun to control.

_“… Is this because of Byun?”_

Baekhyun noticed Sehun’s eyes on him and suddenly became nervous. He froze for a moment, locking eyes with Sehun. His heartbeat began to speed up as well as they continued staring at each other. Baekhyun nervously gulped, Sehun’s gaze on him was so intense.

“You’re all done now!”

Baekhyun moved his leg and quickly hopped down. He wiped the hair off Sehun’s shoulders and started to blow dry his hair. Sehun watched Baekhyun’s face in the mirror, Baekhyun could feel his eyes on him again, and tried his best to act natural as he dried his hair.

Baekhyun shut off the hair dryer and started to collect his things, “Ok, sorry for interrupting the news, you can go watch it again.”

Sehun nodded and began to put his shirt back on. As he fastened the buttons, he watched Baekhyun leave the bathroom.

Baekhyun stood in the hallway and let out a large breath of air, he had been holding it in unconsciously. He closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths to calm himself down. Sehun staring at him for that long and watching his every movement was extremely nerve-racking.  
  
  


———————————

 

“Wu, did you get a haircut? It looks great!” Nari exclaimed as she came close to Sehun to stand next to him.

Baekhyun was sitting in the desk next to Sehun, he rolled his eyes at Nari’s words.

“Byun cut it.”

Nari paused for a moment, regretting her compliment, “…Oh. Wasn’t that nice of him?”

Nari pretended to examine his hair for a moment, and pointed at a section of his hair, “Oh, but it looks a little uneven right there, should I fix it for you?”

“I don’t like people touching me.”

“…But, what about Bian?”

“He’s an exception.”

Baekhyun looked over at him in surprise, too touched to even smile. Nari twitched for a moment as she glared at Baekhyun.

“I understand. It was too forward of me to ask you, I am a girl after all. It’s different than it is with another guy.”

Baekhyun rolled his eyes again, taking note of her emphasis on the fact that Sehun was probably not interested in another man.

“I trust him, that’s why.”

Baekhyun looked back at Sehun, a look of complete joy covering his face. Nari fumed for a moment before she turned around to walk off, not wishing to bask in Baekhyun’s happiness any longer.

“Normal life is strange.” Sehun uttered once she was gone.

Baekhyun laughed, “That’s what makes it fun.”

“…I don’t get it.”

Baekhyun smiled as he stared at Sehun for a moment, “Maybe one day you will.”  
  
  


———————————

 

A sudden downpour rained down on the school campus, grey clouds completely enveloping the sky. Students ran across the yard quickly, covering their heads with their bags as they tried to get to the dormitories. Sehun however, didn’t care. He walked slowly with his hands in his pockets as the rain falling down began to drench him with water. Baekhyun spotted him and came running up to him holding out his umbrella.

“You’ll get soaking wet!”

Sehun paused, looking down at Baekhyun as Baekhyun smiled up at him. They walked together for a bit, and Sehun noticed Baekhyun struggling to hold the umbrella above both their heads due to their height difference. Sehun grabbed the umbrella from him and held it above their heads.

“Thanks, you’re so tall.” Baekhyun laughed.

Baekhyun stared out at the drops of water as they fell all around them, the gentle sound engulfed the entire area, and the only other noise he could hear was the slow patter of their footsteps. Baekhyun always knew standing in the rain must have been a magical experience, but the entire effect of it was impossible to imagine. The smell, the sight, the sound…combined together it completely drowned Baekhyun’s senses.

“This is my first time seeing the rain.” Baekhyun softly smiled, “It’s beautiful, don’t you think?”

Sehun paused staring at it, “It’s just falling water.”

Baekhyun looked up at Sehun and stared at him with a sorrowful expression, “He doesn’t even feel anything from the rain…”

A heavy downpour suddenly began to pelt their umbrella with large amounts of water. Baekhyun smiled before he bolted out from under the umbrella and stood in front of Sehun giggling. Sehun stared at him curiously.

“I thought you didn’t want to get wet?”

Baekhyun started spinning around, closing his eyes as he looked up at the sky, “I changed my mind.”

Sehun watched him as he continued giggling, the rain soaked his clothes and hair, and beads of water were dripping down his face. Baekhyun shook his head like a wet dog and looked over at Sehun.

“Come on, it’s fun when it rains this hard!”

Sehun lowered the umbrella and stood still next to Baekhyun in the pouring rain. Baekhyun ran over to him and grabbed both his hands, causing the umbrella to drop onto the ground. He started spinning with him in circles as he continued giggling. Sehun stared at Baekhyun as they spun around holding hands, there was a huge bright smile on his face.

 

_Thump thump_

 

The rain started pouring down even harder and Baekhyun stopped spinning to laugh loudly.

“Ahhh!”

Sehun stared down at Baekhyun, his heart was still beating quickly as they continued standing together holding hands. 

Baekhyun spotted a large puddle and yanked Sehun to drag him over to it.

“Oh here! This is on the list!”

Baekhyun giggled as he jumped into the puddle to start kicking and splashing. Sehun watched him in slight confusion.

“Come on, jump in the puddle!” Baekhyun laughed as he continued splashing.

“What is the point?”

Baekhyun smiled, “There is no point, it’s just fun!”

Sehun paused before he stepped forward and made a very small hop into the puddle. Baekhyun laughed as he watched Sehun start kicking lightly, barely causing any water to move.

“Make a big splash!”

Sehun kicked his foot harder and splashed a giant wave of water, soaking his sock inside his shoe. Baekhyun giggled in delight as they continued stomping around together, it was even better than Baekhyun imagined it would be, because Sehun was there acting like a silly child with him.  
  
  


———————————

 

The door to Sehun’s dorm room suddenly burst open, and Baekhyun hurried inside giggling, followed by Sehun. Both of them were completely soaked and dripping with water, creating their own small puddles on the floor. The rain could be heard outside, pouring even louder than it was before. Once Sehun closed the door, Baekhyun shook off a little bit.

“I don’t understand why we did that.”

Baekhyun laughed as he began taking off his wet clothes, “Because it’s fun. I’ve always wanted to do that. They do it in movies a lot.”

Sehun paused thinking about it as Baekhyun continued stripping, removing everything except his underwear. Sehun stared at Baekhyun’s small body. Like Sehun, Baekhyun was also fit, with nicely toned muscles. Sehun had seen him naked before, but for some reason, at the moment he couldn’t take his eyes off him. He felt a small tingle inside his body, a sensation he had never experienced before, like a flame was burning inside him.

Sehun began stripping as well, taking off his jacket and then undoing his gun holster to toss it over onto the couch. 

“Wait here, I’ll bring some towels.” Baekhyun smiled at Sehun as he was removing his shirt.

Sehun waited dripping by the door as Baekhyun disappeared down the hallway. After a short moment, Baekhyun returned and handed Sehun a towel. They dried off together by the door, rubbing their bodies as Baekhyun stole a few glances at Sehun.

“Do you have anything dry I can wear?”

Sehun paused, “I only have my battle suit.”

Baekhyun nodded, remembering that Sehun didn’t own any other clothes, “Is it all right if I wear it?”

“Mm.”

Baekhyun followed Sehun into his bedroom. Sehun grabbed his battle suit and handed it to Baekhyun. Baekhyun took it from him and Sehun reached for his gym clothes to wear. Baekhyun stepped into the coverall and pulled it up over his shoulders. He laughed at how big it was on him. He looked over at the mirror smiling, enjoying the image of himself wearing the clothes he so strongly associated with Sehun. As Sehun was busy getting dressed, Baekhyun secretly smelled his clothes. However, instead of being greeted with Sehun’s aroma which Baekhyun enjoyed very much, it carried a dirty smell. Baekhyun wondered when the last time he had washed it.  
  
  


———————————

 

Baekhyun was extremely excited, he could barely sleep that night. It was finally the weekend, and the weekend meant two things: no class, and no homework. He would finally have time to spend with Sehun and accomplish some things on his list.

“Good morning!” Baekhyun happily greeted Sehun as he opened his door.

Sehun didn’t respond, but he stepped aside allowing Baekhyun to come in.

“So, I was thinking we could do something fun today.” Baekhyun’s smile was audible in his voice.

Sehun waited as he stared at Baekhyun, and Baekhyun knew his silence was his way of approving.

“Since it’s the weekend, I thought we could have a sleepover.”

“Sleep…over?”

Baekhyun giggled, “Someone sleeps at someone else’s house. You can watch a movie and eat popcorn.”

Sehun continued staring at Baekhyun, he failed to see the point again.

“I’ll sleep over here. But in the meantime, I thought we could go shopping. We need to get you some other clothes to wear. Then we can watch a movie tonight.”

Sehun nodded.  
  
  


———————————

 

Baekhyun spotted a store with some trendy clothes, he started walking towards it and Sehun followed him. Loud music with a heavy beat was playing inside, it assaulted their ears the second they walked through the door. Sehun had never heard music like it before, he listened to it curiously as he followed Baekhyun to the men’s section of the store. Baekhyun approached a rack of shirts and pulled out a few options. He held up a variety of shirts against Sehun’s body to see how it would look.

“What is this music?”

Baekhyun laughed as he continued pressing shirts against his chest, “It’s hip hop, dance music.”

“How do you dance to it?”

Baekhyun giggled, “Like this.”

Baekhyun started dancing a little, placing one hand behind his head and the other out in front of himself as he wiggled his body in a way most people would be embarrassed to perform on a dance floor. Sehun watched him with much interest, and Baekhyun stopped as he laughed a little in embarrassment.

“I’m not the best example. You can find some videos of it online.”

Baekhyun examined the shirts he had in his hand and put a few back, “Ok here, lets go try these on.”  
  
  


———————————

 

When they returned home, both their arms were loaded with a bountiful amount of shopping bags. Baekhyun had purchased clothes for both Sehun and himself, making sure to buy coordinating outfits so their clothes would match whenever they went out together. Sehun placed his load on the floor in his bedroom, and Baekhyun grabbed some scissors to help Sehun cut off all the tags. However, it was Sehun who ended up cutting the tags as Baekhyun organized his clothes, hanging and folding them to put away in his closet and dresser. Baekhyun smiled happily as he looked at each clothing item, suddenly remembering it after losing the memory of it in the swarm of their humongous shopping spree. He couldn’t wait to see Sehun wearing all these clothes, he knew it was going to be pretty amusing to see him dressed like a normal teenager.

 

———————————

 

“What kinds of movies do you like?” Baekhyun asked as he crawled into the bed after turning off the light.

“I’ve never watched one before.”

Baekhyun laughed, “I should have known.”

He held up the remote and started searching through the options on the TV, he decided an action movie would probably suit Sehun best. He clicked on one, and reached for the bowl of popcorn to place it in-between them.

“Here, try some.”

Sehun took one kernel and put it in his mouth.

“Like it?”

“It’s good.” Sehun answered in a plain voice.

Baekhyun smiled as he laid his head on Sehun’s shoulder to get comfortable. Sehun remained silent throughout the entire movie, and Baekhyun stole a few glances at him to try and see his reaction, but his face was always blank. The movie ended and Baekhyun turned off the TV.

“So what did you think?”

“Am I suppose to think something of it?”

Baekhyun laughed, “Yeah, did you enjoy it, or not enjoy it?”

Sehun paused, “Neither.”

Baekhyun sighed as he placed the remote next to him on the bed, “All right, fair enough. I tried.”

There was a long pause of silence until Baekhyun decided to look over at Sehun. Sehun’s eyes were shut, Baekhyun laughed as he nudged him.

“Don’t fall asleep, you stay up late on sleepovers!”

“Then why are we laying in bed?”

“That’s just what you do.”

“So we just lay here awake?”

Baekhyun laughed again, “No we talk.”

“About what?”

“Anything.”

There was another long pause of awkward silence. Baekhyun smiled to himself as he tilted his head and bit Sehun’s shoulder. 

 

_Thump thump_

 

“Why do you bite me?”

Baekhyun laughed, “I just like to, you have big shoulders.”

“Is it normal?”

Baekhyun laughed again, “No, not really.”

Sehun fell quiet, Baekhyun smiled as he stared at Sehun’s face, wondering what Sehun was thinking.

“Thanks for doing all this stuff with me Sehun, the list I mean.”

“I made a promise.”

Baekhyun smiled, “Yeah I know. Still, I appreciate it. As a Prince and then a soldier, I never got to experience this stuff before, besides the stuff I obviously couldn’t accomplish in space anyway. It’s really fun.”

Sehun nodded. Baekhyun continued smiling as he stared at him. He rested his head on his shoulder and closed his eyes, feeling like Sehun wasn’t really going to say more.

“Goodnight Sehun.”


	18. Protecting the Kingdom

“Did you call for me, Princess Yoon?” Minseok asked as he stood in front of her desk.

“I just got a request from OZ for approval to battle in the Sanc Kingdom. What's this all about?” Nari asked with an upset expression on her face.

“A Rebel unit running from OZ has escaped into the southern forests. I contacted them earlier and ordered them to move out immediately.”

“Can they escape if they were forced to leave?”

“Some are injured. But they also have the option of surrendering. It's not something that concerns this nation.”

“Some are injured?”

“OZ assault troops are hunting them down. I'll order the Rebels to leave the country at once.”

“No, wait! Pagan. Couldn't we treat them as temporary refugees? Then we'd avoid attacks from OZ.”

Minseok stepped forward as he looked at her with concern, “But Princess Yoon…”

“I know that OZ feels contempt for the Sanc Kingdom. But we can't simply ignore the injured. I won't sacrifice my compassion just to avoid chaos. Please understand.”

Minseok paused, “…I’ll tell the rebels.”  
  
  


———————————

 

“Damn! Why did we have to escape into the Sanc Kingdom?!”

The Rebel soldiers were huddled together in the forest, wrapped in bandages standing next to their mobile suits. The Captain was the most wounded of all of them, and was sitting down on the door to his cockpit.

The Captain sighed, “The attacks by OZ were staged to lead us into this area. We've been used like puppets. We've given OZ an excuse to attack the Sanc Kingdom! There's no time to sit around like this. We've caused this country enough trouble. Let's go!”

The Captain went to stand, but cringed in pain and fell back down.

“Captain! You can't expect to cross the border in your condition!”

“Nonsense! We must leave as soon as possible so we don't tarnish the Rebel's name!”

A soldier suddenly called out to him, he was sitting nearby looking at one of their monitors, “Sir, the Sanc Kingdom is on the line, with instructions from Princess Nari.”

The monitor suddenly flashed an image of Minseok’s face, “This is Kim Minseok of the Sanc Kingdom Imperial Guards. Our nation will temporarily accept you into the country. Princess Nari's instructions are to discard your weapons and be refugees. We believe this is the best solution.”

The Captain shook his head, “We've got a lot of injured men here. Normally we'd be glad to accept your kind offer. It was their plan to lead us here. I can't see OZ leaving us alone.”

“A trap?” Minseok asked.

“As soon as we retreated here, they stopped attacking. They could've easily defeated the troops in our current state. Yet they're calling for reinforcements. At this rate the Sanc Kingdom could get involved in battle. The only way to avoid that is for us to leave this country!”

“I understand.”

The Captain nodded, “By staying we'd be putting the Sanc Kingdom in jeopardy. We're grateful for the Princess' support.”

“What do you plan on doing?”

“Any further contact would be an added burden on you. I'll terminate communication. Just leave the rest to us, over.”

Minseok saluted them, “Very well. I wish you the best. Over and out.”  
  
  


———————————

 

“The Sanc Kingdom is contacting us again. What shall I do?” An OZ soldier asked his Commander as he sat at the controls of their shuttle.

“Connect them.”

“Yes, Sir!”

Princess Nari’s face appeared on their monitor, “This is Princess Yoon Nari. We have decided to accept the Rebels as refugees.”

The Commander smirked, “I believe you're misinformed. The Rebels intend to take over the central Sanc Kingdom and remain besieged there. We'd be cooperating as peace keepers by attacking them before they enter the city.”

Princess Nari’s voice intensified in frustration, “The Rebels have no intention of attacking! They've told me so themselves!”

“Those are their words? Clearly we can't trust them! I'm ending transmission. The enemy could be listening in.”

Princess Nari stood up from her desk, “Wait a minute! Take a moment to confirm this!”

The Commander reached forward and turned off the monitor. The soldier looked up at the Commander.

“What shall we do?”

“Release our mobile suits and chase the Rebels into the city. The greater the damage to the city the stronger the message on pacifism's shortcomings!”  
  
  


———————————

 

Minseok, Sehun and Baekhyun were all gathered in the underground base, rushing towards their mobile suits. An alarm was sounding and a red light was swirling around the room. Baekhyun watched Sehun nervously as he jumped inside the Exo ZERO.

 

———————————

 

The rebel soldiers were busy attaching explosives to their own mobile suits. After finishing, they gathered together near their wounded Captain.

“Setup is complete.”

“Good job. If we're unable to retreat from this country then we'll have to disappear. The Mobile Dolls that landed are taking steps to push us further into the Sanc Kingdom. Blow up every last trace of our unit!”

Sehun and Baekhyun suddenly appeared walking through the trees to approach them. The soldiers turned and watched as they started walking through them to greet their Captain.

“Who are you?!”

The Captain paused staring at them, “They’re kids…?”

They stopped together in front of the Captain and Sehun began talking to him, “Self-detonation, not a bad idea. But if you're intending to die for this country there's a better way to make use of your lives.”

“What're you talking about?”

“Would you consider protecting this defenseless country?” Baekhyun added.

“Our unit doesn't have much military power left.”

Sehun ignored his statement and turned around to start leaving, “If you want to stop OZ’s plans then follow us.”

Baekhyun smiled as he turned to follow Sehun, “If things go well you might even survive.”

The Captain was a little irritated by their behavior, “Who do you think you are?!”

Baekhyun laughed, “We’re just students here.”

Sehun and Baekhyun walked off together as the soldiers watched them in confusion. The Captain’s expression hardened as he stared after them.

“Two or three of you come with me.”

“Captain, you really trust them?!”

“Not many have the confidence to defeat a Mobile Doll. They’re the ones that OZ fears so much.”

“You mean those kids are Exo Pilots?!”

The Captain paused as he watched Sehun and Baekhyun disappear from his sight, “Pretty sure.”  
  
  


———————————

 

OZ mobile suits began to infiltrate the forest of the Sanc Kingdom. They targeted the abandoned mobile suits belonging to the Rebels and fired on them, easily destroying them.

“They're hardly putting up a fight.”

“After we've wiped them out in the forests we'll presume the others are headed for the city. We'll pursue the enemy.”

Suddenly their alarms started going off, “Unidentified crafts speeding straight for us!”

“What?!”

The Rebels came flying towards them, using Minseok’s fleet of mobile suits. The Rebel Captain was in front, leading his unit.

“We'll face them in the air. We've got the advantage!”  
  
  


———————————

 

“What's with those white suits? Which country owns them?!” The OZ Commander shouted in surprise as he stared at the unfamiliar suits on his monitor.

“Commander! There's a mobile suit carrier headed right for us!”

“What?! Send out the Mobile Dolls!”

Sehun and Baekhyun’s Exo Suits flew out of their carrier, and rushed towards the OZ shuttle. Sehun quickly fired on it and shot it down before concentrating on fighting the Mobile Dolls. Baekhyun started fighting them as well, but he was having a hard time keeping up with Sehun. Every time he turned to shoot one, they were already exploding from Sehun’s attack. Baekhyun stared over at Sehun nervously, watching his fast movements.

Sehun’s arms started shaking, “…This system exposes the vulnerabilities of all soldiers.”

His vision began to blur, and the crosshairs on his screen multiplied in front of him. Sehun’s body suddenly froze as he stared with wide eyes at his monitor.

“My arms! I can't move!”

The Mobile Dolls fired on Sehun during his frozen state, and he remained still as they continued shooting at him. 

Baekhyun saw and desperately called out to him, “Sehun!!”

Thousands of Mobile Dolls appeared on Sehun’s screen, the forest was burning in flames at the hands of their destruction. Sehun was completely surrounded, the number of Mobile Dolls continued increasing. Sehun grabbed his head and started screaming. Suddenly, the light inside the cockpit flashed gold, activating the full power of the ZERO System. Sehun lowered his hands from his head as his expression became vacant.

He raised his buster rifle and it began to fill with energy. After a short moment of building power, Sehun released the blast and spun in a circle, destroying the entire Mobile Doll fleet in one shot.

Baekhyun had flown into the air to escape the attack, and stared down at Sehun with concern, waiting to see what Sehun would do next. Minseok flew over next to Baekhyun, also staring down at the carnage surrounding Sehun.

“Amazing! He destroyed them all with one shot!”

Baekhyun pressed a button and appeared on Sehun’s monitor, “…Sehun, are you alright?”

Sehun was breathing heavily, he reached a shaky hand forward and shut off his mobile suit.

_“…Why do I start to hallucinate?”_   
  
  


———————————

 

Sehun, Baekhyun and Minseok all stood in front of Princess Nari’s desk. It had come time for Minseok to explain why he had a fleet of mobile suits inside the Sanc Kingdom.

“You’d probably say these things are unnecessary in the Sanc Kingdom, Princess Yoon. But OZ is getting more and more aggressive. I know this is contrary to your beliefs Princess. But I’ve come to the conclusion that we’ll be destroyed without our own defense force. I take full responsibility. I'm prepared to accept any punishment.”

Princess Nari paused and lowered her head, “Is my idea just a dream? Or even a mistake?”

Sehun suddenly answered her, “OZ eliminates anything they find inconvenient. Like the Space Colonies, and the Exo Suits.”

“And now Princess Yoon, you have become their target. The times have taken a sudden turn. This battle is because of their impatience with the change. Right now defense is needed. To make time for discussions too.” Minseok added.

Sehun turned to start leaving the room, Baekhyun noticed and bowed before following him.

“Wu, where are you going?”

“I'll do what I think necessary. There's no place for pacifism in my mind. The Exo Suits exist for battles.”

Baekhyun nudged his arm and glared at him, he didn’t approve of that kind of speech. Sehun paused, noticing Baekhyun’s upset expression.

“One day there will be a time for peace, but it’s not now.” Sehun added, hoping to fix his previous statement.

Baekhyun smiled and nodded at him, showing his approval.

“If you were me how would you lead the Sanc Kingdom?” Nari asked Sehun, trying to prevent him from leaving.

“The same way as Commander Minseok. First build a defense unit. That'd be the best way to confront OZ now.”

Princess Nari paused, “Minseok, I approve. I give you my permission to do as you see fit.”

Minseok stared at her in disbelief, “…Princess Yoon.”

“How can I expect to come up with a position the world agrees to if I can't even agree with the people closest to me? Someday I'll find out what it is that gives everyone the urge to fight.”  
  
  


———————————

 

Sehun was lying asleep in bed, his body positioned in a straight line with his hands rested at his sides. The blanket was lowered, exposing his shirtless body. The clock on his nightstand indicated it was 3:30 am. The bedroom door suddenly opened and Sehun quickly opened his eyes to watch someone step inside. After realizing it was only Baekhyun, he closed his eyes again, drifting back to sleep. Baekhyun smiled as he crawled onto the bed to shake him a little.

“Hey wake up.”

Baekhyun backed away in surprise as Sehun immediately shot up.

“Is OZ attacking?”

Baekhyun laughed, “No. It’s just another thing from the list.”

Sehun’s body relaxed and he laid back down into his bed and closed his eyes. Baekhyun laughed as he leaned over Sehun to start shaking him again.

“Come on!”

Sehun yawned and slowly sat up again. Baekhyun smiled watching him, for some reason, seeing him yawn made him feel a little more human.

“Why are we getting up so early?”

Baekhyun paused smiling at Sehun for a moment, “We’re going to watch the sunrise.”

After blinking a few times, Sehun slowly got out of bed, and Baekhyun abused the chance to stare at his body before going over to the light switch. He turned it on and heard Sehun make a sudden groaning sound. He smiled as he looked over at Sehun, he was wincing from the sudden light burning his eyes and lifted his hand to cover his face. Baekhyun laughed, he wasn’t used to seeing Sehun act this way. 

Baekhyun went to Sehun’s closet and grabbed some of Sehun’s new clothes, he coordinated an outfit for him that matched his own. Baekhyun went over to Sehun once he was done picking it out and handed it to him.

Sehun slowly grabbed the clothes from him, but remained standing still, staring blankly in a daze. Baekhyun noticed Sehun was out of it and laughed as he grabbed some of Sehun’s clothes to start dressing him.

Sehun slowly put on his pants as Baekhyun pulled a shirt over his head and continued moving around him to put a jacket on. Baekhyun made a few adjustments and then backed away to stare at him smiling.

Sehun was wearing a pair of jeans, with holes torn at the knees, accompanied by a red shirt and a zip up hoodie. Baekhyun couldn’t get over how normal he looked, especially with the groggy expression on his face. He spent a moment imagining to himself what it would be like if they were just regular kids that met in high school. He wondered what Sehun would have been like if he hadn’t of grown up in a war.

They went to the front door together and Sehun stared at the large collection of shoes now siting on a shelf by his door. Baekhyun reached for a pair of black converse and handed it to him. Sehun sat down and pulled them on before he started tying them, still blinking a little from his tired state. Baekhyun smiled to himself as he watched him, for some reason he looked so childish sitting there tying his shoes.

Once Sehun finished, Baekhyun grabbed his arm in excitement, “Let’s go!”  
  
  


———————————

 

Baekhyun and Sehun walked together along the beach, it was still dark and the air was cold, making them both shove their hands in their pockets to keep warm. Baekhyun glanced around keeping an eye out for a good spot to sit down and watch the sky. Once he found one, he pulled on Sehun’s arm to sit down with him.

“We’re going to be tired for class.” Sehun slowly spoke as he stared out at the crashing waves in front of them.

Baekhyun smiled, “We’re not going to class today.”

Sehun looked over at him, “Why?”

“Because it’s on the list.”

“Not going to school?”

“Yeah, skipping school for no other reason than to have fun.” Baekhyun giggled.

They sat together silently and Baekhyun eventually lowered his head to rest it on Sehun’s shoulder, cuddling up against him. He stared at Sehun’s bent legs, the holes on his jeans stretched to expose the skin of his knees, and his shoes planted in the sand. It really was strange, what a difference his clothing made on his appearance. Right then, at that moment, Baekhyun felt like they were just two teenagers being rebellious ditching class together.

The sun slowly began rising, filling the sky with a soft light as it inched above the horizon. Baekhyun reached over and held onto Sehun’s arm as he watched it.

“It’s beautiful.”

Sehun remained silent, and Baekhyun peeked up to look at his face. He was staring blankly, but his eyes seemed a little softer than usual. Baekhyun reached into his pocket and pulled out his list. He glanced down at the last thing written on it and stared at it for a long moment.

_Fall in love_

Baekhyun looked over at Sehun longingly. Baekhyun was desperate just to get a small emotional reaction out of him, hoping for such a complex emotion as love seemed fruitless.

After the sun had risen a good distance into the sky, Sehun gave out another yawn and laid back in the sand. Baekhyun smiled and did the same, cuddling up onto Sehun’s shoulder. Baekhyun agreed, a nap on the beach did sound nice. They could continue the fun activities once it was a more reasonable hour.

Baekhyun woke up once the sun had filled the entire beach and warmed up his body. It was still early, but Baekhyun couldn’t wait any longer. Baekhyun lifted his head off Sehun’s shoulder and sat up to start nudging him.

Sehun blinked a few times before fully opening his eyes. He yawned as he sat up and looked out at the beach now covered in bright sunlight. Baekhyun smiled and stood up.

“I’m going to go get some things out of the car.”

Sehun nodded. 

Baekhyun wanted to make sure he and Sehun would be able to travel around easily, so he had purchased a small car. It was a large expense Baekhyun was torn whether or not he should spend, but he decided it was ultimately worth it. He still had plenty of money leftover from the small fortune had had stolen from his family.

Baekhyun returned with two bags. One of them was filled with some food Baekhyun had prepared for them. Baekhyun sat back down next to Sehun and they ate a small breakfast. Once they were done, Baekhyun started taking off his shoes. 

“You should take yours off too.”

Sehun untied his shoes and stood up once he was done. Baekhyun grabbed the other bag and started to make his way close to the water, Sehun following closely behind him.

Baekhyun kneeled down and placed the bag on the sand to start taking stuff out of it. There were small trowels and shovels, buckets shaped like olden day castles, and other small tools.

“Are those toys?” Sehun asked as he sat down next to Baekhyun.

Baekhyun laughed, “Well, kind of. We’re going to make a sandcastle.”

He handed Sehun a bucket and grabbed one for himself.

“I was looking online, some people have made some pretty amazing ones. I’ve always wanted to try this.”

Sehun wasn’t really sure what a sandcastle was, but he followed Baekhyun’s instructions and filled the bucket with wet sand. Baekhyun did his best to duplicate the steps he had found, but it wasn’t as easy as he thought it would be. Baekhyun laughed and smiled the whole time as he tried to get Sehun to help him make the pristine castle he had imagined in his mind, but it turned out more like just a bunch of blobs of sand.

“Ah, the water is coming!” Baekhyun shouted with an amused tone in his voice, “I haven’t gotten a picture yet!”

Sehun suddenly laid down on the sand in front of the castle, protecting it from the encroaching wave of water. The water soaked Sehun’s clothes as it splashed onto his back, but the castle remained unscathed.

“Wait there.” Baekhyun laughed as he took out his phone and took a picture of Sehun protecting their castle.

Sehun sat up once Baekhyun was done and started brushing off the sand that had gotten on him. Baekhyun reached forward to help him brush off the sand, mostly spending his attention on Sehun’s hair.

“What a hero.” Baekhyun laughed, “This might be your finest deed yet, protecting the castle of Prince Byun Baekhyun.”

Sehun looked up at Baekhyun and paused, he wasn’t used to people making jokes with him. Although he recognized that was what Baekhyun was doing, he wasn’t sure how to respond. Baekhyun simply smiled at him before he scooted closer to sit next to him.

“Here, let’s take a picture together.”  
  
  


———————————

 

After a long day at the beach and accomplishing many things on Baekhyun’s list, such as swimming in the ocean and burying Sehun in sand so only his head was popping out, they made their way back to school. The sun had retired and the campus had grown dark, not even the light from people’s windows were still on. Sehun cut across the grass to make his way towards the dormitories, but Baekhyun suddenly grabbed his arm to stop him.

“Wait, one more thing.”

Sehun paused staring at Baekhyun, still traces of sand in his hair.

“Hide and seek!”

“Hide and seek?”

“Yeah, it’s a game. One person hides, and the other person tries to find them. You usually play with a group, but you can do it with just two people.”

Sehun paused, he really had a hard time understanding these things, “…Ok.”

“I’ll hide first. Close your eyes and count out loud to thirty. Once you get to thirty shout: ‘Ready or not, here I come!’ and then try to find me. We’ll stay outside, and I won’t go too far.”

Sehun nodded, and almost uttered the word roger, but stopped himself, “Ok.”

Sehun closed his eyes and started counting. Baekhyun quickly ran off with a huge smile on his face. He approached the large tree they usually ate under during lunch and started climbing it.

“Ready or not here I come!” Baekhyun heard Sehun call out.

Baekhyun covered his face and laughed into his hands at hearing Sehun shout such a childish phrase. He watched as Sehun walked around the campus looking for him, analyzing his surroundings like he was looking for a hidden enemy. His expression was so serious Baekhyun couldn’t help but continue giggling quietly into his hands.

After walking around for a little while, Sehun eventually made his way over to their tree. Baekhyun stared down at him from the branches up above, trying his best not to accidentally move. Sehun spent an extra long time, carefully checking the area for any trace of Baekhyun. He suddenly looked up, immediately noticing Baekhyun balancing himself on a branch. Baekhyun let out a loud laugh as he jumped down.

“Ok, it’s your turn to hide!”

It turned out that Sehun was an expert at hiding, as Baekhyun should have guessed, and Baekhyun was forced to forfeit after trying to find him for a good half an hour. Baekhyun decided it was a good time to call it quits. They walked off to the dorms together and Baekhyun smiled as he stared at Sehun. His clothes were still slightly wet, and he spotted a patch of sand on the back of his arm.

Baekhyun took the list out of his pocket along with a pencil.

~~Take a day off from school~~


	19. A Forgotten Face

Sehun was leaned against the wall, his arms crossed in front of him as he watched the Rebel soldiers working on repairs to Minseok’s fleet of mobile suits. Baekhyun and Minseok were standing next to him, also watching the soldiers.

“An increase in this nation's military power will just attract OZ's attention. Why did you take them in?” Sehun asked as he pushed himself off the wall.

Minseok paused, “Follow me and I'll show you why.”

Minseok started to leave, Sehun and Baekhyun following behind him. They entered the computer room and Minseok brought up a picture of a map on the monitor.

“The main forces of OZ are currently gathering around the Sanc Kingdom. At this rate we'll suffer the fate of the previous Sanc Kingdom. It may not be a significant force yet, but in order to confront OZ we need to take in the Rebels.”

“This military power could start attacking us any day now.” Sehun noted as he stared at the map.

Minseok smiled, “But we have the Exo Suits on our side.”

Sehun paused with a sudden dark look in his eyes, “Don't count on that too much.”

Baekhyun glanced over at Sehun with a worried expression.

“Actually, I wanted to ask you. The other Exo Pilots, where are they now?”

“Du Qing Zhu has been eliminated.” Sehun coldly replied.

Baekhyun paused, “Piao Can Lie is probably out looking for him.”

“Looking for him? But I thought you said he was dead?”

“He doesn’t believe he’s gone.” Baekhyun answered, “I’m sure he’ll never really stop looking for him.”

“I see.” Minseok lowered his head for a moment in silence, “Do you have any way of contacting him?”

“Yes, did you want to?”

“I’d like to speak with him, if you don’t mind.”

Baekhyun nodded, “Sure.”

Baekhyun went over to the computer and started typing for a moment. After a little while he brought up a screen on the monitor, and Chanyeol’s image appeared. He was sitting inside his Exo Suit.

“Hey Piao, sorry to bother you.”

Chanyeol’s eyes carried the same weight they did when they were in the prison cell together, “No problem. What is it? Do you have some news about OZ?”

“I have someone here that would like to speak with you.”

Chanyeol stared at him curiously, “Alright.”

Minseok approached the monitor and smiled at him, “Hello, I am Kim Minseok of the Sanc Kingdom Imperial Guards. I would like to request your help in defending our Kingdom.”

Chanyeol paused, and Minseok knew he was probably going to refuse his request.

“OZ’s forces are intensifying around the Sanc Kingdom. The average pilot can't compete with the capabilities of the Mobile Dolls. Bian and Wu are already using their strength to defend our Kingdom.”

“…I would like to help…But there is something I still need to do here in space.”

“I understand. I hope you will both come join us in the Sanc Kingdom once you find him.”

Chanyeol looked at Minseok in surprise and then nodded, “We will.”  
  
  


———————————

 

Sehun walked down the hallway of the dormitories to get to his room. It was late, and most of the students were already sleeping. He had been busy making some modifications to the Exo ZERO suit, small adjustments here and there to better accommodate himself and match closely with the way he had his previous suit fitted.

He took out his keys and unlocked his door, opening it slowly and stepping into the dark room. He flipped on the light switch and was surprised to see the room filled with colorful streamers and balloons. Sitting on the table was a nice dinner, surrounded by paper party plates and cups.

Baekhyun jumped up from behind the couch, a party hat placed on top of his head. He smiled brightly before pulling on a party popper and letting it explode streamers onto the couch in front of him.

“Happy Birthday!!”

Sehun stared blankly at Baekhyun for a moment , “What?”

Baekhyun giggled and walked over to Sehun, “Since you don’t know your birthday, I decided on a date for you!”

Baekhyun reached forward and grabbed Sehun’s hands to pull him over to the table. He grabbed a birthday hat off the table and giggled as he strapped it around Sehun’s head. Baekhyun couldn’t resist taking a picture of him before they sat down.

They ate silently together, but Baekhyun was smiling happily to himself the whole time. Celebrating with Sehun like this was the best birthday party Baekhyun had ever experienced, even though it wasn’t his own. He paused a lot during his meal to just sit and stare at Sehun, admiring him as he quietly ate his food wearing that silly party hat.

Once they were done Baekhyun disappeared into the kitchen for a while, as Sehun waited at the table like he was instructed to. The light in the room suddenly turned off, and Baekhyun came back out holding a chocolate birthday cake with candles. The candles lit up the room as Baekhyun slowly walked towards the table with it.

“Happy Birthday to you,  
Happy Birthday to you,   
Happy Birthday dear Sehunnnn,  
Happy Birthday to you!”

Baekhyun giggled as he sang, secretly enjoying being able to sing those lyrics to him. Baekhyun placed the cake down in front of Sehun, and Sehun stared down at it, reading the words written with icing.

_Happy Birthday Sehun!_

Baekhyun backed away to get a better view of Sehun with his phone, holding it out in front of himself as he began recording. Sehun paused for a moment before he picked up his fork and stabbed it into the cake. Baekhyun laughed as he continued recording him.

“Wait, you’re suppose to make a wish and blow out the candles.”

“A wish?” Sehun asked as he looked up at the camera.

“Yeah, for anything.”

Sehun sat thinking for a moment, “I wish to eat the cake.”

Baekhyun laughed again, “No no, don’t say it out loud, close your eyes and think about your wish. Now you have to think of a different one, something bigger than that.”

Sehun paused before closing his eyes. Baekhyun bit his lip smiling as he recorded Sehun silently making a wish to himself. It took Sehun a long moment to think of one before he opened his eyes again and began blowing out the candles. Baekhyun let out a loud cheer as the room fell dark again after all the light from the candles was gone.

Baekhyun went over to the light to turn it back on and went over to the table to sit down with Sehun again. He reached under the table to grab a secret present he had hidden there, and looked up to see Sehun raising his fork to his mouth to take a bite of the cake. Baekhyun smiled before he held out the small bag to Sehun.

“Here, a present.”

Sehun paused staring at it as he chewed his cake, then lowered his fork to take the present from him. He took out a few pieces of tissue to find a small box. He reached in to pull the box out, and after opening it discovered it was a smart phone. Sehun looked up at Baekhyun holding the phone.

“Thank you.”

Baekhyun smiled, “I put my number in there already. I really should have gotten you one of these earlier, it would have saved me a lot of headaches.”

Baekhyun got up and went over to Sehun, “Here, lets take a picture together.”

Baekhyun bit his lip as he backed up and sat down onto Sehun’s lap, leaning close to him.

 

_Thump thump_

 

Baekhyun grabbed Sehun’s phone from him and held it out to take a picture of them both. Baekhyun smiled brightly, and Sehun remained emotionless as usual as he looked up at the camera. Baekhyun lowered the phone and texted the picture to himself.

“I can show you how to use this if you want, but I have a feeling you’ll figure it out pretty quickly.”

Sehun nodded, “I can handle it.”

Baekhyun laughed a little as he stood up and went back to his side of the table. Sehun picked up his fork to continue digging into the uncut cake and eating right from the side of it. Baekhyun paused smiling to himself before he picked up his own fork and did the same.  
  
  


———————————

 

A lone soldier floated through space, his body surrounded by debris. The particles of metal began to sparkle as a beam of light scanned across them. The light stopped on the floating body, and stayed there, illuminating it as the source of the light came closer.

“A body! Hurry, let’s get out there!”

The soldier was brought to the nearest colony hospital. After he was placed in a bed and treated by a few nurses, the Head Doctor came in to look at him. She paused once she recognized his face. Hyang Ki quickly ran over to him, kneeling beside him. The nurses watched her in surprise.

“How is his condition?” She asked as she gently held onto Kyungsoo’s hand.

“Stable. He should wake up soon.”

Hyang Ki closed her eyes and brought Kyungsoo’s hand to her forehead, thanking the stars for his well being.  
  
  


———————————

 

Sehun and Baekhyun were sitting on the couch together watching the news. Baekhyun was laid back into the corner, daydreaming to himself rather than concentrating on the TV, while Sehun was sitting up straight heavily paying attention to what the newscaster had to say.

They suddenly heard their phones make a loud alert tone, which only indicated one thing. Sehun and Baekhyun took out their phones to look at the screen.

“BRAVO CHARLIE; CODE RED.”

They both shot off the couch and ran towards the door, making their way to the underground base. Once they got there they found the Rebel soldiers getting into their mobile suits along with Minseok. Sehun and Baekhyun ran towards their Exo Suits to climb inside.  
  
  


———————————

 

It didn’t take long for them to eliminate the OZ Mobile Suits entering their territory, especially with the help from Sehun’s Exo ZERO. Once the battle was finished, Sehun continued breathing heavily inside his cockpit. Sehun looked over at the Rebels on his monitor, who were rejoicing over their victory. Sehun took in large shaking breaths as he stared at them.

“Are they enemies? No…”

The image of the Rebels on his screen suddenly changed, morphing into a vision of them surrounding him, pointing their guns at him. They charged towards him screaming.

Sehun paused as he began to breathe extremely heavy, sweat dripping down his forehead, “Then are they the enemies?”

Sehun gulped, “No…They’re just ordered to fight…”

Sehun cringed in pain and lowered his head tightly shutting his eyes, still breathing heavily as he continued to sweat, “… It’s happening again.”

The light inside the cockpit flashed gold, activating the full power of the ZERO System. Sehun suddenly opened his eyes.

His voice lowered to a deep threatening voice, “I’m getting rid of them all.”  
Sehun began attacking the Rebels, they looked over at him in shock. Baekhyun and Minseok noticed, still a good distance away from Sehun.

Baekhyun immediately started rushing towards him, “Sehun!! Stop!!”

Sehun continued firing on them, their mobile suits exploding all around him. Suddenly he took out his buster rifle and it started building with energy. Baekhyun quickly jumped out of the way as the blast engulfed the remaining troops, destroying them all. Once the blast dissipated, Baekhyun rushed towards Sehun again and grabbed onto his suit.

“Sehun! It’s me, Baekhyun!”

Sehun paused as Baekhyun’s image appeared on his screen. Baekhyun stared at Sehun, his chest was heaving as he dripped with sweat. His eyes seemed unfocused, like he was in another world. Baekhyun gave him a tender expression, trying his best to help calm him down.

“It’s ok Sehun.”

Sehun stared at Baekhyun for a moment, and Baekhyun watched as his eyes slowly returned to normal. Suddenly, Sehun lurched forward, coughing as he almost threw up. Baekhyun painfully watched him.

Sehun reached over and pressed the button on his controls to open his cockpit. He stepped out onto his door, his legs were wobbling, he could barely stand.

Baekhyun quickly opened his cockpit and hopped over to Sehun, grabbing onto him to help him. Sehun collapsed against Baekhyun as he suddenly passed out. Baekhyun lowered to kneel with him, pressured by the sudden weight. He held him closely and closed his eyes as he rested against him.

“…Sehun.”

Minseok suddenly landed next to them and got out of his cockpit to speak with Baekhyun. Baekhyun continued holding onto Sehun tightly as he looked up at Minseok.

“What just happened?!” Minseok asked in shock about Sehun’s sudden traitorous behavior.

Baekhyun paused, “… The Exo ZERO takes over the mind of whoever pilots it, it drives them insane…”

“You mean it was the Suit’s fault?”

Baekhyun nodded, “The ZERO system eliminates all distractions, even your own free will.”

Minseok paused staring over at the Exo ZERO, _“…So that is the power of the Wing ZERO…”_ Minseok smiled to himself, _“There’s nothing more noble and beautiful than a warrior with no distractions…”_  
  
  


———————————

 

Chanyeol typed furiously on his controls, desperately searching through every last bit of information he could find. He painstakingly went through hundreds of hospital records, looking for a case similar to Kyungsoo’s. At last, he stopped. He found something even better than that.

A doctor at the L4 colony medical center, named Do Kyungsoo.

Chanyeol immediately took off towards the colony.

He rushed through the doors of the hospital and quickly ran inside. He was yelled at by a few doctors as he weaved through some patients to get to the front desk. Out of breath, he desperately demanded the attendant’s attention.

“Do Kyungsoo, where is Do Kyungsoo?”

“Oh, he should be with a patient right now. Can you please sit down and wait Sir?”

Chanyeol stared at her furiously for a moment before he stormed off towards the elevator. Once he had ridden to the floor with patient rooms, Chanyeol rushed out to start opening every single door. The doctors turned back to look at him in surprise as he violently swung the door open. Hyang Ki was inside one of the last few door’s he opened, and she recognized him immediately. However, Chanyeol wasn’t paying attention and didn’t even notice her, his eyes were focused on one goal only. He continued storming down the hallway, opening one last door before his quest was finally over.

Kyungsoo turned around to look at him in surprise. He was alone, busy cleaning up the room after the patient had left. Before he could even speak, Chanyeol rushed over to him, wrapping his arms around him. Hyang Ki came running into the room after him, and paused in the doorway as she stared at them both.

“Kyungsoo! You’re all right!! You’re really here!!”

Kyungsoo remained silent, frozen inside Chanyeol’s giant grasp. Hyang Ki suddenly came into the room and forcefully gripped onto Chanyeol’s shoulder.

“Stop! Don’t touch him! Get out of here!”

Chanyeol slowly released Kyungsoo to look back at her curiously.

“Kyungsoo, let us talk for a minute.” Hyang Ki looked over at Kyungsoo with a desperate expression.

Kyungsoo looked up at Chanyeol, ignoring his sister. His eyes focused on Chanyeol’s face, staring at him with a strange look in his eyes, “Do you know me?”

Chanyeol’s heart dropped. He froze as he stared into Kyungsoo’s lost eyes. Hyang Ki grabbed Kyungsoo’s arm and pulled him away from Chanyeol.

“Please, Kyungsoo, give us a moment.”

Kyungsoo paused before he slowly walked towards the door. Chanyeol looked after him, still frozen in shock.

Kyungsoo closed the door, and then suddenly winced in pain, he grabbed onto his head as he lowered to the floor, _“His face…I know that face.”_

“Kyungsoo is not going to be doing any more fighting!” Hyang Ki shouted at Chanyeol after waiting a moment for Kyungsoo to presumably leave, “I can't bear to see him suffer any more than he has. He's lost his memories of the past. Because they're too painful. He doesn't want to remember!”

Chanyeol paused, taking a deep breath and closing his eyes, “It's my fault. I'm sorry.”

“If that's really the way you feel, then leave him. Kyungsoo is a lot happier now, being here with his family. He belongs here with us, helping people, healing people.”

Hyang Ki opened the door to leave, and found Kyungsoo bent over on the floor, “Kyungsoo!” 

She knelt down next to him, holding onto him gently. Chanyeol watched them, feeling powerless to help. He paused staring at Kyungsoo’s painful expression.

“I’m sorry…I’ll leave you.” Chanyeol spoke quietly as he suddenly left the room and made his way down the hall.

Kyungsoo looked up at him and watched him leave, still grasping onto his head, _“That face…why do I know that face?”_  
  
  


———————————

 

Baekhyun laid next to Sehun underneath the bedsheets, reaching out his hand to gently hold onto Sehun’s arm. Sehun was asleep, Baekhyun stared at his peaceful expression, refusing to fall asleep himself until Sehun woke back up.

Sehun slowly opened his eyes and stared up at the ceiling, he felt Baekhyun’s hand on his arm, without looking he knew that it was Baekhyun holding him.

“How are you feeling?”

Sehun didn’t respond as he continued staring at the ceiling. Baekhyun looked at him in concern as he squeezed his arm.

“Sehun…?”

“I killed everyone.”

Baekhyun paused and took a deep breath, “…Sehun, do you truly believe you can stop OZ using that suit?”

There was a moment of silence as Sehun thought to himself, “Yes.”

“Then you just have to accept the fact that there will be casualties…but if you can master it, it will end up saving more lives than it took away.”

Sehun remained silent and Baekhyun scooted closer to him.

“It’s dangerous, that’s a fact. But I support you no matter what, I believe in you Sehun. You’re doing the right thing.”

Sehun turned his head to look over at Baekhyun, staring at him as he thought about his words, “Thank you.”

Baekhyun smiled at him for a moment before he suddenly sat up, “Here, sit up.”

Sehun listened to him and sat up. Baekhyun crawled behind him and stretched his legs on either side of him as he placed his hands on Sehun’s back. Baekhyun started to massage him and Sehun closed his eyes. Sehun enjoyed it for a while, but noticed the fabric of his shirt was preventing the full pleasure he experienced when Baekhyun gave him a massage in the bathtub. He suddenly started taking his shirt off and Baekhyun paused watching him, his heart beating quickly.

Sehun tossed his shirt aside and closed his eyes again as he waited for Baekhyun to continue. Baekhyun nervously reached his hands forward to resume touching him, slowly caressing his bare skin. Baekhyun closed his eyes as well, taking a deep breath as he let his hands rub Sehun’s body.

Sehun occasionally made a groaning sound, and Baekhyun bit his lip each time he did. Falling into the sensuality of the moment, Baekhyun began to lightly move his fingertips across Sehun’s skin, causing Sehun’s body to shiver. He brushed his hands across Sehun’s shoulder blades and down his arms, eventually sneaking his hands around the front of Sehun’s body to stroke his chest and abs.

Baekhyun took another deep breath as he bit tightly onto his bottom lip, intensely enjoying the feeling of Sehun’s well toned body.

“What spot do you like the best?” Baekhyun asked as he moved up to his collar bones.

Sehun paused before he suddenly grabbed Baekhyun’s hands and moved them down to his lower abdomen. Baekhyun squinted his eyes as he felt a rush come over his own body, his heart tightening as he let his hands lightly skim over the spot Sehun desired.

He caressed him there for a while, sometimes moving away and then coming back to it, sending occasional shivers through Sehun’s body. Baekhyun eventually melted against Sehun, resting on his back as he continued touching the front of his body.

“Are you tired?”

“No no, I’m fine.” Baekhyun quickly answered, not wishing this to ever stop.

Baekhyun continued, and both them started to fall into a drunken relaxed state, feeding off the warmth of each other’s bodies. Sehun started to doze off, and Baekhyun noticed his head bobbing.

“…You’re falling asleep.”

Sehun nodded. Baekhyun sighed as he stopped moving his hands.

“We should go to bed.”

Baekhyun moved aside and Sehun laid back down. Baekhyun laid down next to him and reached out his hand to continue lightly caressing his chest. Sehun fell asleep as he concentrated on Baekhyun’s gentle touch.

Baekhyun woke up later that night, roused by the uncomfortable sounds Sehun was making in his sleep. Baekhyun watched him as he continued making grunting sounds and his face scrunched up in a painful expression. Baekhyun realized he must have been having a nightmare and reached out to start nudging him awake.

“Sehun, Sehun wake up.”

Sehun eventually awoke and looked over at Baekhyun, Baekhyun was staring back at him in concern.

“Were you having a nightmare?”

Sehun paused, staring deeply at Baekhyun. Nothing had ever affected Baekhyun that much before, the faint trace of sadness in Sehun’s eyes.

“…Yes, about that girl.”

Baekhyun took a deep breath and scooted closer to him, laying down on top of him to hug him tightly. He hugged him fro a long moment before speaking.

“It wasn’t your fault.”

Baekhyun’s heart tightened as he suddenly felt Sehun’s arms reach up and wrap around him, holding him tightly. Baekhyun squeezed him back in response, his heart beating rapidly.

Sehun remained silent, and Baekhyun could tell the memory of his nightmare must have still been bothering him. Baekhyun moved one of his hands to gently caress Sehun’s arm as he began quietly singing to him.

Sehun was surprised at first, but he eventually closed his eyes and relaxed, enjoying the gentle sound of Baekhyun’s voice. Baekhyun sang for a long while, and it soothed Sehun back to sleep. Baekhyun felt Sehun’s chest start to slowly rise and fall in his sleep. He stopped singing and remained laying on top of Sehun, held tightly against him by Sehun’s strong arms. Baekhyun almost felt like a security blanket, something for Sehun to desperately hold onto.


	20. The Exo ZERO Stolen?!

Baekhyun’s phone suddenly started ringing while he was walking to the dorms with Sehun. Baekhyun quickly went to answer it as Sehun watched him. He was surprised to see Chanyeol’s name on his screen.

“Hey Piao, what’s up?”

“I’m on my way to the Sanc Kingdom. I’ll be seeing you guys soon.”

Baekhyun paused, he wanted to ask about Kyungsoo, but he wasn’t sure how to. Chanyeol noticed him stalling.

“I found Kyungsoo, he’s fine. He’ll be staying in space for now.”

Baekhyun could hear the troubled sound in Chanyeol’s voice, he knew something was wrong, especially from the lack of detail and the fact that Kyungsoo wouldn’t be joining him.

“That’s amazing, I’m glad to hear that he’s alright!” Baekhyun answered trying to remain positive.

“Yeah, me too.”

“We’ll look forward to seeing you. Be careful on your way here.”

“Thanks.”

Baekhyun lowered his phone as the call ended and looked over at Sehun who was still staring at him, “I think it’s best we don’t mention Du at all when Piao comes.”

Sehun nodded, “Ok.”  
  
  


———————————

 

Kyungsoo walked out to the waiting room to call out for a patient. Everyone looked up at him with anticipation. He was about to say the name but stalled when his ear picked up the faint music playing in the room.

The notes were gently being strung by a guitar, playfully filling the room with a light sound. Everyone stared at Kyungsoo curiously, unaware that he had been frozen by the music.

Images began to flash in Kyungsoo’s mind, someone’s large hand plucking the strings of a guitar. It was hot. He remembered feeling hot. Sand, there was so much sand. Kyungsoo clutched onto his forehead, desperately trying to remember the face belonging to the guitarist.

Suddenly Kyungsoo’s eyes widened, _“…Chanyeol.”_  
  
  


———————————

 

Baekhyun and Sehun were sitting under the tree together eating lunch. Sehun had his usual blank expression, but Baekhyun could sense something was still a little off with him. A normal person probably wouldn’t have noticed, but Baekhyun had started to be able to pick up the very subtle fluctuations in Sehun’s mood.

Baekhyun put down his food and scooted over to sit behind Sehun. He began to massage Sehun’s back, and eventually rub his neck. After a little while Baekhyun leaned forward to peek at Sehun’s face, he was relaxed closing his eyes, still holding onto his lunch.

Baekhyun smiled and leaned back to start massaging Sehun’s head, skimming his fingers through his hair. Sehun slowly put down his food, still closing his eyes. Baekhyun noticed and smiled to himself.

Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, Baekhyun noticed someone approaching the school. It was Minseok, followed by Chanyeol. Baekhyun’s hands paused as he brightly smiled.

“Look, it’s Piao!”

Sehun opened his eyes and looked over at Chanyeol walking towards them. Minseok and Chanyeol both came over to them and stood next to them.

Chanyeol smiled, “Hey.”

“Hey Piao, glad you made it!” Baekhyun happily answered.

Baekhyun lowered his hands from Sehun’s head and scooted over to sit next to him.

“Sit with us.”

“Oh, that’s ok, Commander Minseok is going to show me around.”

Baekhyun nodded, “Ok.”

“Chanyeol!!!”

Everyone was startled for a moment by the sudden voice, and turned to look where it was coming from. Kyungsoo came running towards them, making his way to Chanyeol. Chanyeol’s eyes widened in surprise as Kyungsoo stopped in front of him, breathing heavily from his sprint.

“…Kyungsoo…”

Kyungsoo smiled at him, “Hi Chanyeol, I’m glad to see you’re back to normal.”

Chanyeol opened his mouth wide in surprise before it turned into a large smile, “You remember?”

Kyungsoo nodded, “Yes, I’m sorry I wasn’t able to remember when you came to visit me. That must have been hard on you.”

Chanyeol paused blushing, remembering how he hugged Kyungsoo tightly in his overemotional state.

“…It’s ok.”

“What happened to you? Why did you start attacking the colonies?”

Chanyeol sighed, “It was that suit, the Exo ZERO. I found it on one of my treasure hunts, but there was a good reason it was locked away. That thing took over my mind, it made me go crazy.”

Kyungsoo paused, “…I see.”

“Kyungsoo, I’m really sorry about what happened…”

Kyungsoo shook his head, “It’s all right. I’m fine now. I’m here to fight with you guys.”

Chanyeol nodded, still feeling shy. Baekhyun smiled watching them, there was a long pause of awkward silence between them as they stared at each other. Baekhyun figured it was a good time to finally speak.

“It’s good to have you here with us Du.”

Kyungsoo turned to look at him, “You guys don’t have to use my codename. My real name is Do Kyungsoo.”

Baekhyun smiled and nodded, “I’m Byun Baekhyun.” Baekhyun reached over and touched Sehun’s shoulder, “And he’s Oh Sehun.” 

Chanyeol smiled, “Park Chanyeol.”

“Park, Do, I’m really glad you guys are here.” Baekhyun spoke as he stood up, “We should go out somewhere together to celebrate!”

Chanyeol’s smile grew larger, “Yeah! We deserve a little fun!”

Baekhyun nodded, “I was planning on going to the amusement park this weekend, you guys are welcome to join us.”

Kyungsoo smiled, “Sounds fun.”  
  
  


———————————

 

Baekhyun looked through Sehun’s clothes as Sehun sat on the bed waiting for him. Sehun had no idea how to coordinate an outfit, but he didn’t even need to ask for help, Baekhyun immediately took on the task of picking out some clothes for him to wear at the amusement park.

Baekhyun went over to Sehun with a handful of clothes and handed him the pants. Sehun put the pants on and Baekhyun handed him a shirt. After Sehun put the shirt on, Baekhyun stood staring at him for a moment, and then he shook his head.

“No, take that one off, let’s try this one.”

Sehun removed the shirt and grabbed the new one from Baekhyun. He pulled it onto his arms and Baekhyun came up to him to start fastening the buttons. Sehun stared down at Baekhyun as he concentrated on buttoning up his shirt. Baekhyun suddenly tensed up, feeling Sehun’s eyes on him. His fingers moved slowly as they pushed the buttons through the holes, not wanting to mess up while Sehun was watching him.

Baekhyun’s heart started beating rapidly. He didn’t feel like buttoning up Sehun’s shirt was such a big deal, but now that Sehun’s eyes were on him and they were standing so close together, it suddenly felt so intimate. Baekhyun paused once he reached the buttons on Sehun’s chest, he gulped nervously, staring at his strong collar bones and well toned chest.

Sehun was also affected by the intimacy of the moment, watching Baekhyun’s delicate hands trail up his body and feeling the slight touch of the fabric on his skin as Baekhyun pushed on it. He noticed Baekhyun pause, staring at his chest as he continued holding onto his shirt.

_Thump thump_

Baekhyun suddenly regained his senses and quickly finished the last buttons, leaving a few at the top open. He swallowed deeply and then backed away.

“Ok, looks good.”  
  
  


———————————

 

Sehun, Baekhyun, Chanyeol, and Kyungsoo all stood at the entrance of the amusement park together, looking at the map Baekhyun was holding. Baekhyun smiled as he pointed at a nearby spot on the map.

“Let’s go on the carousel first!”

Baekhyun suddenly grabbed Sehun’s hand and started dragging him towards it, followed by Chanyeol and Kyungsoo. Baekhyun carefully picked out his favorite pair of horses and instructed Sehun where to sit. Chanyeol and Kyungsoo sat behind them. Baekhyun giggled to himself as he took out his phone and recorded Sehun as he mounted his horse.

“What is the point of this ride?” Sehun asked as he looked over at Baekhyun, realizing he was recording.

“It’s like riding a horse.” Baekhyun laughed quietly.

The carousel bell made a loud sound before the music started and the horses began to move up and down. Baekhyun smiled to himself as he continued recording Sehun, he was looking out at the park as they rode around in a circle. Baekhyun really enjoyed making Sehun do childish things like this.

After the ride they gathered together to look at the map again, but Chanyeol suddenly pointed up at a nearby building instead and shouted loudly.

“What about the haunted house?!”

Baekhyun suddenly tightened up and nervously looked over at the haunted house. Chanyeol enthusiastically lead them towards it, and Baekhyun slowly lagged behind. 

Baekhyun wanted to run away as they were waiting in line together. People were invited in pairs to enter the walk through haunted house, and Baekhyun immediately paired up with Sehun, grabbing onto his arm as he continued staring at the attraction with fear. They could hear people screaming inside in front of them. 

Sehun was aware what a haunted house was, but he never understood the point. In fact, it was on the very bottom of the list of things he understood. The fact that people liked to get scared, and actually put themselves in situations to accomplish that, forever mystified him.

He may not have experienced many things in life, but he had heard about a lot of them. Baekhyun noticed it seemed to be mostly the innocent childlike activities Sehun was unaware of.

Chanyeol and Kyungsoo went in first, and once they disappeared Baekhyun turned to look at Sehun. 

“…Maybe we can go on some other ride?”

Sehun paused staring at him, “Why don’t you want to go?”

Baekhyun took a deep breath, “…It’s scary.”

Sehun raised his eyebrows in confusion, something Baekhyun had not seen him do before, “We do dangerous stuff all the time.”

“Yeah but this is different, it’s like zombies and stuff.”

“Zombies?”

“Yeah, they jump out at you.”

This was a new low on Sehun’s list, even further down than people choosing to scare themselves. Baekhyun fearing something so irrational, when he actually faced real danger in his every day life, made absolutely no sense at all.

“I want to see it.”

Baekhyun was surprised by Sehun’s curiosity, it seemed like he actually had a desire to do it. Baekhyun couldn’t argue with that.

“Ok.” Baekhyun sighed, “…But I’m going to scream.”

Sehun started walking in once the ride attendant invited them to. Baekhyun clung tightly onto Sehun’s arm as they entered the dark room. After walking for a little while through the maze of decorations, something popped out at them. Baekhyun crumpled and squeezed Sehun’s arm as he screamed for a very long moment, shaking the entire time. Sehun stared down at Baekhyun and watched him, entirely lost. Once Baekhyun stopped screaming Sehun walked over to the mannequin and touched it.

“Look it’s not even real. I don’t understand why you’re afraid.”

“It just frightens me when it pops out.” Baekhyun answered in a trembling voice.

“Just close your eyes then.”

Baekhyun smiled as Sehun returned to him and allowed him to grab onto his arm. Baekhyun closed his eyes as Sehun lead him through the attraction. Sehun never even flinched or made a sound. They walked through calmly together, Baekhyun sometimes jumping a little from a sound of something popping out at them.

When they got outside, they found Chanyeol and Kyungsoo waiting for them. Chanyeol was laughing.

“I heard you screaming Byun! I can’t believe you got scared, that was so lame.”

Baekhyun pouted as he let go of Sehun’s arm, “Look, I just can’t handle stuff like that, ok?”

Chanyeol continued laughing and Kyungsoo sighed watching him, it didn’t seem like he was ever going to stop. He grabbed Chanyeol’s arm and started dragging him off. Chanyeol blushed and his voice was instantly silenced by Kyungsoo’s touch. He nervously followed him, staring down at his hand.

They continued going on rides, occasionally stoping to get delicious treats, including cotton candy. They even stopped inside the souvenir shop to try on the ridiculous hats and oversized sunglasses, taking a few pictures in the process.

“It’s getting pretty late, what should we ride last?” Kyungsoo asked, wearing a mask that blocked them from seeing his face.

Baekhyun smiled, his head adorned with a bunny ear headband, “The ferris wheel of course.”

It was Chanyeol’s turn to tense up. Considering the pattern they had been following all that day, Chanyeol would be riding with Kyungsoo.

Baekhyun laughed to himself as he watched Chanyeol nervously climb inside the gondola with Kyungsoo. He wondered what they would talk about. Once Sehun and Baekhyun were seated inside their own gondola, Sehun asked the question he had been using all day.

“What is the point of this ride?”

Baekhyun smiled as he stared at Sehun, “It’s romantic.”

“Why?”

“Because we’re all alone stuck in here and it’s a beautiful view. People usually like to confess their feelings.”

Baekhyun glanced behind him through the window, trying to sneak a peek at Chanyeol and Kyungsoo.

“Wouldn’t that be obvious then?”

Baekhyun laughed, “Well that’s kind of the point.”

Sehun paused, thinking about it to himself.

“How do you know when you’re in love with someone?”

Baekhyun paused, caught off guard by the question.

“…That’s a really hard thing to answer. You just want to be with them and you think about them all the time. They make you nervous, excited, and happy. It’s painful to be separated.”

“Painful?”

“Not physical pain, emotional…Like your heart hurts.”

Sehun fell quiet again. Baekhyun smiled as he stared at Sehun’s face, wondering what Sehun was thinking.

After the ride, they all decided to end their evening. Baekhyun noticed that Chanyeol and Kyungsoo were acting a little awkward as they rode in the car together. He giggled to himself, wondering what they had talked about.  
  
  


———————————

 

Baekhyun was happy to discover that Kyungsoo shared a similar passion in cooking, and he ended up in Baekhyun’s Home Ec class. Kyungsoo seemed pretty quiet, so he appreciated the easy excuse to talk to him. He wanted to get to know all the Pilots better.

“So, I know I sent you a text when Sehun woke back up from his coma, but I really wanted to thank you in person.”

“Of course. Thank you for watching after him.”

Baekhyun paused smiling, and then simply nodded in response. Kyungsoo stared at his face.

“You’re interested in him right?”

Baekhyun laughed, “Yeah, I’d say more than interested. It’s probably obvious to everyone except him.”

Kyungsoo paused, “Doesn’t he seem a little…Detached? I can’t help but dissect people when I meet them, I sense a lot of problems in his mind.”

Baekhyun sighed, “You’ve got that right. I’m not sure how much I can even help him, but I want to try. I’ve never met someone so lost, I just want to take care of him.”

Baekhyun watched as Kyungsoo cut up his ingredients with surgeon like accuracy. He laughed, realizing being a doctor probably caused him to be meticulous.

“So, what about you and Chanyeol?”

Kyungsoo’s hand slipped, and he ended up slicing his finger. Baekhyun rushed to grab him a towel.

“Are you all right? It’s not deep is it?”

Kyungsoo grabbed the towel from him, “No, it’s all right.”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to make you nervous.”

Kyungsoo blushed, “…It’s fine.”

Baekhyun paused, smiling to himself about Kyungsoo’s flushed cheeks. He was so curious what was going on between the two of them.

“…Why do you think there is something going on between us?” Kyungsoo asked in a slow voice.

Baekhyun smirked, “I don’t know, I just get the feeling. Park was really heartbroken after you went missing, and you guys were so nervous after riding the ferris wheel together.”

Kyungsoo’s face turned a deeper shade of red, “Oh.”

Baekhyun leaned in to whisper, “Did you guys talk about anything?”

Kyungsoo paused, “I thanked him for coming to find me…and he got really quiet…but he kept staring at me. I think he caught me staring at him a few times too.”

Baekhyun smiled, “Yeah? Do you like him?”

Kyungsoo looked down at the ingredients in front of him, “…Yeah.”

Baekhyun continued smiling as he stared at Kyungsoo, he seemed so nervous, “I’ll be rooting for you guys. Let me know if you need any help.”

Kyungsoo nodded, “Thanks.”  
  
  


———————————

 

Baekhyun uncomfortably struggled in his sleep, tossing and turning as he let out small sounds of distress. In his dream, he was having a vision of Sehun in his Exo ZERO Suit. Sehun had clearly already lost control, going rampant attacking everything in sight. Baekhyun tried to stop him, but he wouldn’t listen. Sehun suddenly froze and started screaming, the surrounding mobile suits began firing on him, causing his mobile suit to explode.

Baekhyun quickly shot awake, sitting up in his distress. He took a deep breath once he realized it was just a dream and rubbed his eyes with his hands.  
  
  


———————————

 

Sehun opened his eyes once he heard the sound of his bedroom door opening. He looked over and spotted Baekhyun standing in the doorway, an upset expression covering his face.

Sehun sat up, “What is it?”

Baekhyun entered the room and crawled on the bed to sit next to Sehun.

“I had a nightmare…”

Those words might have sounded childish to a regular person, but Sehun was haunted with nightmares frequently, it was one of the few things he could sympathize with. He didn’t know what to say, so he decided to comfort Baekhyun in the same way Baekhyun comforted him.

Sehun reached out his hands and grabbed Baekhyun, pulling him close to himself. Baekhyun’s eyes widened in shock as Sehun laid down with him, holding Baekhyun tightly. Baekhyun’s heart started beating wildly, he could barely breathe. 

Sehun snuck his hands under Baekhyun’s shirt, remembering how much better it felt when Baekhyun touched his skin, and began rubbing his back as he continued holding him closely. Baekhyun started taking large breaths of air, trying to calm himself down as his body trembled from Sehun’s touch.

“I can’t sing.” Sehun suddenly told him.

Baekhyun had to laugh, “That’s ok.”

Baekhyun closed his eyes as he rested against Sehun’s chest, his heart still beating out of control as Sehun’s hands wandered on his skin. As Baekhyun melted against Sehun’s chest, he suddenly noticed something.

_“…His heartbeat is so fast…”_

Sehun began to experience a familiar tingling feeling in his body, similar to the time he stared at Baekhyun as he was taking off his clothes. His hands caressed Baekhyun with a desire and urge he had never felt before, running down Baekhyun’s entire back and pressing him harder against himself. 

Baekhyun let out a quiet moan into Sehun’s chest as he raised his hands to hold onto Sehun as well.

 

_Thump thump_

 

Sehun stopped, squeezing Baekhyun tightly. He swallowed deeply, feeling a little sick.

Suddenly, the loud alarm on their phones began sounding. They both paused for a moment before sitting up and reaching for their phones. Baekhyun stared at the screen nervously, reflecting on his recent nightmare.

They ran out of the elevator into the underground base together, followed by Chanyeol and Kyungsoo, only to spot Minseok jumping into the Exo ZERO. Baekhyun desperately ran forward as he called out to him.

“Commander Minseok! What are you doing?!! That suit is dangerous!!”

“I’ll do this on my own! I’ll use the power of this Suit to save Jongdae’s homeland!!”

“You’re not an Exo Pilot! You don’t have the training to even handle one of our suits!!”

Minseok ignored him and closed the cockpit, quickly taking off.

Baekhyun turned to Sehun with a look of dismay, “What should we do?”

“He might attack us if we follow him.”

Chanyeol suddenly approached them, “I can’t believe you brought that suit with you!”

“It’s the only chance we have at defeating OZ.” Sehun answered coldly.

“And destroy everyone else in the process?” Chanyeol shouted.

Baekhyun coughed to get Chanyeol’s attention, Chanyeol looked at him and Baekhyun shook his head in disapproval. 

“Not if I master it.” Sehun replied.

Chanyeol grunted, “There is no mastering it! If anyone was capable of it he'd be superior to the entire human race!”

Chanyeol suddenly turned around to start running towards his Exo Suit, “I’ve got to stop him!”  
  
  


———————————

 

Minseok began battling with the Exo ZERO, firing at his targets with ease. He smiled to himself as his body moved with a speed he never experienced before.

“What incredible response time! And these combat capabilities! Yes, we can do anything with this outstanding system. It can even alter human consciousness to another level! Anything is possible with this!”

Minseok suddenly bent over cringing in pain, he began couching and blood dripped from his mouth. He continued coughing blood until the cockpit suddenly filled with a golden light.

Minseok’s eyes widened as he stared back up at the screen in front of himself. His body shook as he tightly held onto the controls.

“It's expanding! My consciousness is expanding!”

Chanyeol suddenly came flying towards him as Minseok battled the surrounding OZ mobile suits. Minseok started laughing as he fired on them, blood still dripping from the corner of his mouth.

“I can almost see everything!! I'm almost there!!”

Sehun, Baekhyun, and Kyungsoo were all watching from a monitor in the underground base. Their faces scrunched up in disturbance as they watched a vision of Minseok through Chanyeol’s camera and heard his deranged voice.

Minseok continued firing on everyone, killing all the OZ soldier’s in sight. Soon the battlefield was empty, and all that was left was Minseok and Chanyeol.

“I want more! I haven't had enough!” Minseok turned and took aim at the school building with the buster rifle, “I haven't had enough yet!!”

Chanyeol rushed towards him and swiped him with his beam saber, “Stop it!!”

Minseok shot away and started to battle with Chanyeol, moving much faster than Chanyeol was capable of. Minseok suddenly appeared on Chanyeol’s screen, and Chanyeol could see that Minseok’s teeth were outlined with blood.

“I can see! I can clearly see every one of your moves! I can even see you during your death!”

“Snap out of it! You’re going to die! That suit is too much for your body to handle!”

Minseok ignored him and continued fighting. Chanyeol grappled hands with Minseok’s suit, and they wrested for a moment. Minseok laughed as he stared at Chanyeol on his screen.

“You fool! Haven't you realized that you don't have a chance against me?!”

Minseok shot away and grabbed onto the head of Chanyeol’s Exo Suit, squishing it in his hand.

“This'll do it! You'll die right now and the glory will be mine!”

Chanyeol smirked, “You sure about that?”

“What?”

Chanyeol suddenly pressed his detention switch, “This might end up a draw!”

They were both caught in the large explosion, and their mobile suits were destroyed instantly.

Minseok started screaming, shooting back into his seat. He started breathing heavily as his eyes shifted back and forth uncontrollably.

Baekhyun and the others were watching the battle on their monitor, Minseok was still grappling hands with Chanyeol, but they could hear Minseok screaming. Baekhyun turned to look over at Sehun.

“Do you think he’s hallucinating?”

Sehun paused, “Seems that way.”

Minseok shot away from Chanyeol, “Get away from me! I won't lose! And certainly not to a punk like you!”

Chanyeol paused shaking his head, “If you lost, it wouldn't be to me! You'd be losing to the Exo ZERO!”

Minseok took aim at Chanyeol with the buster rifle, “There's no way I can be defeated!”

Minseok fired and Chanyeol quickly flew out of the way. The large explosion proved too much for Minseok to handle, and Minseok went flying backwards. Minseok started screaming and then fell into a fit of coughing, spewing blood from his mouth again.

“I won't lose! I can't possibly lose! I can handle a system like this with no problem!”

Minseok continued screaming until his eye’s suddenly snapped wide open, losing their vitality. The Exo ZERO fell to the ground, and Minseok’s body lifelessly bounced around until it eventually came to a stop. He sat with a vacant expression inside the cockpit, blood still dripping from his mouth.

Chanyeol lowered his head, reaching out his hand to turn off the vision on his monitor, “…It’s just too much for a human being to handle…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry guys, I know the last part of this chapter is kind of gruesome…I’m sorry Minseok!


	21. Breaking the Wall

Sehun and Baekhyun walked next to each other in the park, pushing their bikes in front of them. It was autumn, and the leaves had turned into a variety of warm colors, scattered on the ground around them. The air was cold, but Sehun and Baekhyun were comfortable dressed in some warm jackets.

“Ok, here.” Baekhyun smiled as he stopped walking and parked his bike. “Climb on.”

Baekhyun took out his phone and pointed it at Sehun, hoping to record a humorous moment of Sehun’s first bike ride. However, the second Sehun climbed on and started peddling, he understood how to ride it. He started peddling in circles around Baekhyun, and Baekhyun laughed as he continued filming him.

“Well, that wasn’t hard for you.”

Sehun turned to start to riding off, and Baekhyun shouted as he went to grab his own bike.

“Hey wait!”

Baekhyun laughed as he quickly peddled after him, catching up and driving alongside him. They rode together for a while through the park, and Baekhyun enjoyed the view of the nature surrounding them. Suddenly he spotted a playground and stopped his bike.

“Let’s go over here!”

Sehun stopped as well and looked at the empty playground, “Why?”

Baekhyun giggled as he parked his bike and ran towards the swings, “Come push me!”

Sehun got off his bike and walked over to the playground, stepping behind Baekhyun as he seated himself on the swing. Sehun began pushing him and Baekhyun kicked out his feet with each swing, smiling happily to himself. The creaking of the swing was all that could be heard in the deserted park. Baekhyun held out his arms and closed his eyes.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m pretending like I’m flying.” Baekhyun giggled.

Sehun stared at Baekhyun curiously, “You don’t have to pretend.”

“This is different.” Baekhyun laughed, “It’s just my body flying, like I have a superpower.”

Baekhyun enjoyed his ride for a long while, the only thing that reminded him he was on the ground was Sehun’s hands pushing on his back. Eventually Baekhyun lowered his feet and kicked them into the sand to stop himself. He stood up and turned around to look at Sehun.

“Here, you try it.”

Sehun paused staring at Baekhyun before he sat down. Baekhyun went around the back of him to start pushing him.

“You have to kick, you can’t just sit there like that.” Baekhyun laughed as Sehun remained motionless.

Sehun started kicking and gained the momentum to get into the air. Baekhyun continued pushing him, trying to get him really high.

“Ok, now close your eyes and put your arms out.”

Sehun did as he was instructed and Baekhyun bit his lip trying not to laugh. Sehun tried his best to imagine what Baekhyun had said, that he was flying with the use of superpowers. The wind continued to brush past his face and whip his hair in different directions. 

“I don’t understand.”

Baekhyun smiled as he continued pushing him, “Yeah, I figured you wouldn’t. But it’s fun right?”

Sehun paused, “It reminds me of my training.”

Baekhyun laughed, also remembering those days, “Yeah, I can see that.”

Baekhyun stopped pushing him and looked over at a pile of leaves, “Look! Another thing from the list!”

Sehun looked over at the leaves and watched as Baekhyun ran towards them, jumping into them. Sehun stood up and walked over to him, standing in the leaves next to him. Baekhyun giggled as he continued jumping.

“Jump!”

Sehun started jumping, but in a much less frolicking way. Baekhyun jumped around him, laughing as he grabbed a few handfuls of leaves and tossed them in the air.

“Is this like the puddle?” Sehun asked.

Baekhyun smiled, “Yeah, it is.”

Baekhyun suddenly threw himself down and landed in the leaves. Sehun paused before copying him, also laying down in them. Baekhyun was breathing heavily, causing puffs of air to appear in front of his face. He went to reach for his list and pulled it out to cross it off.

Sehun watched him and glanced at the words written on it, curious what else Baekhyun had planned for them. His eyes focused on the words at the very bottom. Fall in Love.

“Halloween is coming up. What should we be?” Baekhyun suddenly asked, staring at some of the items on the list.

“You want to dress up?”

“Of course!”

They both remained silent for a long while as Baekhyun thought to himself. Suddenly a smile appeared on his face.

“I’ve got it!”  
  
  


——————————

 

Baekhyun flipped through his camera roll smiling, looking at the pictures he had taken that day at the park. After looking over the pictures a few times each he eventually turned off his phone and put it down. He reached over and shut off the lamp before snuggling under the covers to fall asleep.

As Baekhyun was sleeping, a few hours into his pleasant dreamland, the door to his bedroom slowly began to open. Sehun peeked into his room and stared at Baekhyun laying in the bed. Baekhyun slowly opened his eyes, noticing the sudden light filtering into the room, and quickly spotted Sehun standing in the doorway.

Baekhyun urgently sat up, “Sehun! Is something wrong?”

Sehun entered the room and came over to the bed, crawling onto it to get closer to Baekhyun. Baekhyun’s heart started beating quickly as he watched Sehun crawl towards him, Sehun was staring at him with such a determined expression. Once Sehun reached him, he raised his arms and wrapped them around Baekhyun. Baekhyun’s chest tightened nervously as Sehun slowly pushed him to lay back down. Sehun silently held Baekhyun for a long moment, Baekhyun’s heart was ponding and he swallowed deeply a few times nervously waiting for Sehun to say something.

“…Sehun?”

Baekhyun felt Sehun’s chest inflate with a large breath of air, he exhaled slowly before speaking, “…Can you sing for me?”

Baekhyun paused, realizing Sehun must have needed comfort. He reached up his hands to hold onto Sehun’s back.

“Did you have another nightmare?”

Sehun nodded. Baekhyun smiled affectionally as he caressed his back a little, he was glad Sehun had chosen to come to him for comfort. He started singing to him quietly and Sehun’s body relaxed, getting more comfortable laying on top Baekhyun. Baekhyun finished the song and Sehun remained silent. Baekhyun lightly pushed Sehun up to look at his face. Baekhyun stared into his eyes, the faint touch of sadness was lingering in Sehun’s expression.

“…Sehun…Have you ever cried about this?”

“No.”

Baekhyun continued staring at Sehun’s melancholy expression. Baekhyun took a deep breath, the hidden sadness in his face really was heartbreaking.

“I know it must be hard for you, but you can’t keep these emotions bottled up inside you, it’s not good for you. Crying is healthy, it helps relieve the pain. I know your emotions have been suppressed, but I think part of it is actually you building up a wall, lots of people do that. You have to let it go.”

“…I don’t know how.”

“It’s not easy. For some people they need some kind of breaking point. But I think if you actually put in an effort to try, you could break that wall by yourself.”

Baekhyun pulled Sehun back down to hold him tightly, “I know it’s difficult, but concentrate on those painful memories, concentrate on how they made you feel. Don’t run away.”

Sehun nodded, holding onto Baekhyun tightly as well. Sehun closed his eyes and tried his best to remember the painful memories that haunted his mind.

**__** __

_**A young Sehun held onto his small mobile suit toy, he was lonely and had no one to play with. He approached his Step-Father, and he turned to look at Sehun, noticing the toy in his hands. His Step-Father chuckled as he glared down at him.** _

_**“What, did you really think I would play with you? Why don’t you go pretend you were meant to exist, that should be fun.”** _

  


  
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_**Sehun, still a young child, sat by himself on his bed looking through one of his children’s books. It was nighttime, and he was all alone. He couldn’t read it, but he flipped through the pictures and paused once he came upon a drawing of a happy family. The loving parents were holding their child in their arms, hugging him with smiles on their faces.** _

  


  
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_**“I hate this stupid brat!”** _

  


  
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_**Sehun stood by the front door as his Mother and Step-Father were stepping out to leave.** _

_**“We’re off on another mission, be good while we’re gone, ok?”** _

_**His mother bent down to plant a kiss on his forehead. His Step-Father groaned and grabbed her to pull her away as he slammed the door.** _

  


  
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_**“Your parents were killed a few days ago.”** _

  


  
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Baekhyun suddenly felt Sehun’s chest start shaking. Baekhyun took a deep breath and started to caress him.  


  
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_**“Why did you come to this colony?”** _

_**“To abandon you.”** _

  


  
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_**Sehun rubbed his hands together, desperately trying to warm them up as he sat alone in a cold dark alley. His teeth were chattering and his breath escaped his mouth in small puffs of air. He could hear music playing, a house was busy holding a party, and the scent from their food wafted into the alley, causing Sehun’s stomach to growl.** _

  


  
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_**“You are our weapon, the perfect killing machine.”** _

  


  
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_**Sehun stood next to a young girl in the wreckage, her small body laying lifelessly. The falling ash accumulated on her clothes, covering her in a blanket of white.** _

  


  
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Baekhyun heard a small chocked breath escape Sehun’s throat. Baekhyun squeezed him tightly.

“It’s ok Sehun, don’t hold back.”

Sehun began to quietly weep, barely making any sounds besides small gasps of breath. Many tears fell from his eyes, wetting Baekhyun’s cheeks as their faces were pressed close together. Baekhyun gently reached up to massage Sehun’s hair, his own face covered in sadness as well. As he listened to Sehun’s quiet weeping, Baekhyun’s eyes began to fill with tears.

After a little while Sehun fell silent, his chest no longer shaking from his tears. Baekhyun continued massaging his hair, trying his best to comfort him.

_“…I’ll support you forever Sehun…Even if that’s all you want from me. I’ll never leave your side.”_  
  
  


——————————

 

Baekhyun was dressed in a frilled collared blouse, a blue cape wrapped around his shoulders, and a small silver crown adorned atop his head. Sehun was standing beside him, wearing chainmail that was covered with a plate of armor, and a fake sword attached at his waist.

“Nice costumes.” Kyungsoo smiled, he himself dressed in the garb of an old colonial sailor. He had a small sack filled with archaic medical equipment.

“Ayyy matey!” Chanyeol cried out in a husky voice, holding up a plastic cutlass sword. He was dressed as a buccaneer pirate, with an eye patch and long coat.

Baekhyun laughed a little, “Thanks. You guys look good too.”

“Shiver me timbers!” Chanyeol continued, shouting out random pirate phrases he had looked up to use for the day.

Sehun stared at him like he was insane, unfamiliar with the fabricated lingo people associated with olden day pirates.

“Oh, Wu, there you are!” They suddenly heard Princess Nari’s voice call out from behind them.

Baekhyun looked over at her and then rolled his eyes. She was dressed as a soldier, wearing a similar battle suit to the one Sehun always wore.

“You look so handsome. You should have told me you were going to be a knight, I would have dressed as a Princess!”

Baekhyun gagged a little before speaking, “He’s matching me.”

“Oh.” Nari paused, “But a knight fits better with a _damsel_ in distress, don’t you think?”

Chanyeol and Kyungsoo noticed the tense atmosphere between them, they had met Nari before, but this was the first time they realized Baekhyun had a problem with her.

“A prince and his knight works just as well.” Baekhyun glared, holding onto Sehun’s arm, “Now if you’ll please excuse us, we’re leaving.”

Baekhyun bowed before pulling Sehun off with him. Chanyeol and Kyungsoo followed them, leaving Nari behind. They had decided to go to a cemetery together and have a picnic while telling scary stories.  
  
  


——————————

 

When Sehun and Baekhyun had returned to Sehun’s room, Baekhyun was in a fearful mood. It turned out that Kyungsoo had a knack for telling ghost stories, Baekhyun was going to have a hard time sleeping that night. Sehun on the other hand was just confused, he really didn’t understand why Baekhyun was so afraid of things that weren’t real.

Baekhyun sat on the floor and dumped out the large bag of candy he had bought for them. Sehun sat across from him on the floor and stared down at the pile. They snacked on a few pieces of candy together while Baekhyun regained a composed mood, feeling safer now that he was no longer in the creepy graveyard. Baekhyun noticed some gum and picked it up to hand it to Sehun.

“Here, put this in your mouth, but don't swallow it, just chew it.”

“Why?”

“Well it's not really food.”

Sehun looked confused, but he took it from Baekhyun and started chewing it.

“You can blow bubbles with it, it's fun! Here let me show you.”

Baekhyun picked up his own stick of gum and put it in his mouth. After a minute of chewing it, he started to blow a bubble. Sehun stared at it with fascination as it started to get large. It suddenly popped and Baekhyun started chewing it again. He took it out of his mouth so it wouldn’t be obnoxious while he was helping Sehun.

“Ok, now you try. Stretch the gum out on your tongue.”

Sehun seemed confused, but he tried to do what Baekhyun told him. Baekhyun moved closer to him to watch his mouth and try to walk him through it.

“Ok, now blow air into it.”

Sehun blew a very abrupt burst of air, and the gum spit out of his mouth, hitting Baekhyun in the face. Baekhyun burst out into laughter. Sehun paused for a moment as he watched Baekhyun continue laughing.

“...I think...I think I get it.”

“Get what?” Baekhyun asked with slight tears in his eyes.

“That was funny.”

Baekhyun stopped laughing as he witnessed a small smile grow on Sehun’s face. It was different than the one Baekhyun saw before at the hotel, this one was so warm and genuine. Baekhyun smiled back at him in excitement, staring at Sehun’s face for a long moment, memorizing the way it looked.

“Here here, try again. Not so hard this time.”

Baekhyun handed him another stick, and Sehun started chewing it. He blew with less aggression, and it made a small bubble, but it still shot out of his mouth and hit Baekhyun in the face. Baekhyun burst out laughing again, throwing his head back. Sehun watched him for a short moment before he let out a small chuckle. Baekhyun paused once he heard the sound and looked at Sehun in amazement.

It only lasted a short moment, but that sound was so heavenly to Baekhyun’s ears. He was getting through to him, he was finally get through to Sehun.  
  
  


——————————

 

All of the Exo Pilots were gathered together sitting inside their suits. They decided to do a simulation together, mainly because Chanyeol and Kyungsoo wanted to see Sehun’s progress with the ZERO system.

It didn’t take long for Sehun to fall under control of the ZERO. As he was battling, his vision began to blur, a stage Sehun had begun to recognize.

“…Here it comes.”

Suddenly, he saw a vision of his own suit attacking himself. He was startled at first, but tried his best to focus, and the vision melted away to reveal his real enemies again. He continued fighting, alongside the other Pilots, and Baekhyun was impressed with how long Sehun was lasting.

Another vision interrupted Sehun’s battle, a Mobile Doll suddenly appeared in front of him. Sehun quickly shut his eyes and started gasping, but even with his eyes closed he couldn’t escape the hallucination.

The Mobile Doll suddenly destroyed his Exo Suit, and Sehun started breathing heavily.

“What…? What in the world are these images?!”

Baekhyun paused fighting as he looked over at Sehun sitting in his cockpit, “Sehun! Are you all right?!”

Sehun heard Baekhyun’s voice and raised his gun at Baekhyun’s suit in the simulation, “My enemy… “ Sehun paused closing his eyes again, “No! He isn't the enemy!”

Sehun’s hand unconsciously pressed the button to fire and Sehun’s eyes widened, “No!!!”

The shot missed, and Sehun began to breathe heavily. Everyone watched him with a worried expression.

“Sehun, you’re hallucinating again!”

Sehun’s eyes slowly focused after hearing Baekhyun’s voice, “What? What have I been doing?”

Sehun’s beam saber was stuck inside the remaining Mobile Doll. He looked around and saw that everything else had already been defeated. He lowered his hand from the controls, his entire body was shaking.

Chanyeol shook his head as he stared at him, “There's no way. How could a human do this?”

Baekhyun got out of his cockpit and went over to Sehun, sitting in front of him. Sehun looked up at him, and Baekhyun could see that his eyes had gone back to normal.

“I’m not giving up yet.” Sehun spoke with a authoritative voice.

Baekhyun nodded, a gentle expression was on his face, “I know.”  
  
  


——————————

 

Sehun took off his shirt and threw it on top of a pile of dirty clothes on the floor. There was a pretty massive amount, all clothing Baekhyun had bought for him. Suddenly he heard his front door open, followed by Baekhyun’s voice.

“Sehun, I brought you a snack!”

Baekhyun looked around for a second and then went into Sehun’s bedroom. Sehun was still shirtless, standing still as he waited for Baekhyun to find him. Baekhyun smiled as he walked over to him and held up a plate and a glass of milk.

“Here I made some cookies.”

Sehun took one and started eating it. Baekhyun suddenly noticed the giant pile of dirty laundry on the floor next to them.

“Is that all dirty?”

Sehun looked down at it and nodded as he continued chewing. Baekhyun put down the plate and milk on Sehun’s nightstand.

“You should have told me, I’ll wash it for you.”

Baekhyun started separating the laundry into piles. He paused once he noticed he was holding a pair of Sehun’s underwear and blushed as he quickly put it down. Sehun watched him, sitting on the bed as he finished eating his cookie. He picked up the glass of milk and started gulping it down.

“You haven’t washed any of this since I bought you all these new clothes?”

“No, you bought me so many I haven’t run out yet.”

Baekhyun laughed. He picked up one of the piles and walked out of the room to go to the washing machine. Sehun followed him, making sure to bring the cookies and milk with him. Baekhyun put the clothes in the machine and then looked around for some detergent.

“Do you have any laundry detergent?”

“No, I just run it with water.”

Baekhyun paused, that explained the smell of his battle suit.

“I’ll be right back.” Baekhyun laughed.

Baekhyun left and quickly came back with his own detergent. He poured it into the machine and started the load.

“Thank you.” Sehun spoke as he finished chewing another bite of cookie.

“Of course. I need to wait for it to finish, so we can hang out until then.”

“It’s already late, are you ok staying awake?”

“It’s the weekend, so I don’t mind staying up late. Is that all right with you?”

Sehun nodded, “Mm.”

Baekhyun sat down on the couch and Sehun sat next to him, putting the plate of cookies and milk on the coffee table in front of them. He grabbed another cookie to start eating it.

“…So Sehun, I’ve been meaning to talk to you…”

“What is it?”

“…There were some things you mentioned from your past that I wanted to discuss with you. Is it all right to talk about it?”

“Go ahead.”

Baekhyun spoke slowly, taking pauses between his words, “…Well to start, your family…I hope you know that situation wasn’t normal…The way they treated you I mean. I’m assuming you understand their relationship was a mess, including your father’s role in everything…”

“…I have no idea how a family should treat each other. I understand families should love each other, but I’ve never been exposed to normal interactions.”

Baekhyun paused, “…It breaks my heart to think how your father made a contract with you to act more like family and you didn’t even know what that meant. I can only imagine what he told you.”

“He told me to call him Dad, smile at him, and praise him.”

Baekhyun shook his head and sighed, “Your father was just terrible. Those things are all technically true…but for him to make a contract with you instead of trying to gain your love and respect is just sad.”

Baekhyun paused again, and they both remained silent in thought for a moment.

“…Sehun…all those things people told you in the past…please throw them away.”

Sehun stared at Baekhyun, looking into his eyes. Baekhyun looked back at him with a pleading expression. Sehun slowly nodded, realizing it was really important to Baekhyun. Baekhyun gently smiled and reached out his hand to touch Sehun’s hand. Baekhyun squeezed it a little and then Sehun suddenly started speaking.

“I actually wanted to ask you something as well.”

Baekhyun tilted his head curiously, “Really?”

“If it wasn’t for the war, what would you have done with your life?”

Baekhyun stared at Sehun in surprise, it seemed like Sehun was really starting to become more open with him.

“Why do you ask?”

“You said so yourself, you don’t seem like the type to become a soldier.”

Baekhyun smiled, “…When I was little I always wanted to become a singer. I love singing.”

“I like your voice.”

Baekhyun blushed and lowered his head, “…Thank you.”  
  
  


——————————

 

Sehun sat on his couch dressed in his uniform, ready for class. He stared up at the clock, and then over at the door. Still nothing. He got up and went over to the door, opening it to look down the hallway. Baekhyun wasn’t there. He closed the door and looked back up at the clock.

Baekhyun usually was there about five minutes ago, holding a tray of breakfast. Sehun was getting pretty hungry.

Sehun hadn’t even brushed his hair yet, ever since Baekhyun cut his hair, they fell into the habit of Baekhyun styling it while Sehun watched news on the TV in the morning. Sehun went into the bathroom and started styling his own hair, he hadn’t done it in a while. He looked up at the clock one last time before he stepped out the door.

Sehun opened Baekhyun’s bedroom door, and found him still sleeping in bed. Sehun approached the bed and looked down at Baekhyun, he was breathing heavily. Sehun watched him for a moment before he reached out his hand and nudged him.

“Byun.”

Sehun paused, keeping his hand on Baekhyun’s arm, _“He feels hot…”_

Sehun stared at him a moment longer before leaving the room, Baekhyun remained fast asleep.  
  
  


——————————

 

Baekhyun opened his eyes and started groaning, his head hurt so much. The room was dark, he wasn’t sure if it was still nighttime or not. Suddenly he noticed Sehun sitting on the bed next to him, staring at him. Baekhyun’s heart tightened at the sight of him.

“What time is it?” Baekhyun asked in a weak voice.

Sehun picked up a tray that was sitting on the other side of him on the bed. There was butter toast with a glass of water and some cold medicine. Baekhyun weakly smiled at it and then looked up at Sehun.

“I'm sorry, I must have slept through my alarm…”

“You need to rest.”

“Did you eat?”

Sehun nodded. Baekhyun took a deep breath and then sat up to slowly start eating. Sehun opened the medicine bottle for him.

“Here.”

Sehun reached over and popped the medicine into Baekhyun’s mouth, pressing his finger against Baekhyun’s lips. Baekhyun blushed, but it was hard to tell since his cheeks were already flushed pink. Baekhyun kept the medicine in his mouth as Sehun handed him the glass of water. Baekhyun smiled as he drank it.

_“…He’s taking care of me…”_

Sehun suddenly stood up as he grabbed the tray, “Get some rest.”

Baekhyun nodded and laid back down. He watched Sehun leave the room. He closed his eyes and let out a sigh, his head was still pounding and he felt like he was boiling.

After a little while he heard Sehun come in the room again. Baekhyun opened his eyes and saw him carrying a bowl and a small towel. Sehun set it next to Baekhyun and dipped the towel into the bowl, wringing it out before he gently placed it on Baekhyun’s forehead. Baekhyun closed his eyes and smiled, to weak to really react much beyond that.

“Thanks. That feels good.”

Sehun nodded as he sat down on the bed again. Baekhyun fell asleep with Sehun sitting next to him, watching him carefully.

When Baekhyun woke up again he looked over to see Sehun wringing out the towel before placing it back on Baekhyun’s forehead with fresh cool water.

“Did you go to class?”

“No.” Sehun answered as he stared down at him.

“I'm sorry, this must be pretty boring for you.”

“It doesn't bother me.”

Baekhyun sighed and closed his eyes, he started breathing heavily again. Sehun watched him, and if Baekhyun’s eyes were still open, he would have seen the look of concern on Sehun’s face. Sehun suddenly scooted closer to him and started to lightly caress his face, skimming his fingers across his forehead where the towel wasn’t covering it, and then moving down to his cheeks. Baekhyun trembled from Sehun’s touch, it felt so wonderful. Sehun’s hands eventually moved down to his neck, gently stroking it around the sensitive part of his jaw.

“Thanks, that feels really good.” Baekhyun nervously spoke.

Sehun didn’t answer him, but his hands continued to lightly caress him. Sehun’s touch was able to soothe Baekhyun, and he fell back to sleep.

When Baekhyun woke the next time, it was nighttime. He looked around for Sehun and instantly blushed when he realized Sehun was sleeping next to him under the covers without a shirt on. Baekhyun’s heart pounded as he stared at him. He slowly reached out his hand to nudge him, and Sehun opened his eyes.

“Sehun, I’m worried you’ll get sick too.”

Sehun closed his eyes again, “Don’t worry about it. Go back to sleep.”

Baekhyun smiled as he rolled on his side to face Sehun, “I feel better now.”

Sehun paused, trying to think of the right words to say, “Good.”

Baekhyun bit his lip, “Thank you Sehun.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're finally starting to see Sehun open up, are you guys excited? ٩(●ᴗ●)۶


	22. New Emotions

Baekhyun hummed to himself as he minced some carrots in his Home Ec class. They were making a soup that day, and Baekhyun was paired up with Kyungsoo. Kyungsoo and Baekhyun had really started to become good friends, talking the entire class with each other and learning a little bit about each other’s past.

Kyungsoo was rather shocked to learn that Baekhyun was a prince, and Baekhyun had to convince him quiet a few times to stop addressing him so formally. He was a soldier now, Baekhyun explained to him, no one had treated him like a prince since he was a kid.

As they started stirring the ingredients together, Baekhyun received a sudden text message. He secretly reached into his pocket to grab his phone and pulled it out to look at it. His heart stopped when he read the name texting him, it was Sehun.

_“Hi.”_

Baekhyun bit his lip trying to prevent the giant smile growing on his face.

_“Hi!”_

Baekhyun held the phone trembling waiting for Sehun to respond. He became nervous as he watched the texting ellipsis appear in their chat.

_“It’s cold outside.”_

Sehun was in gym class at the moment, sitting on the bleachers as he sat and typed on his phone. Baekhyun laughed at Sehun’s simple comment, and tried to think of how to respond.

_“Yeah, it should start snowing soon_ ^ㅅ^ ❄”

Baekhyun nervously waited again, it took a long time before the ellipsis appeared.

_“I’ve never seen snow.”_

Baekhyun giggled, it seemed like Sehun really did just want to talk to him.

_“Neither have I. I have lots of things on our list that I wanted to do in the snow.”_

_“The list is almost finished.”_ Sehun responded quickly.

Baekhyun smiled, but suddenly realized Sehun must have seen it at some point. He paused wondering if Sehun had bothered analyzing it.

_“Well, for now. There will always be things I’d like to show you_ (~´ㅅ`)~✎”

There was a very long pause, and Baekhyun almost gave up to put away his phone, thinking their short conversation was over.

_“Thank you. I like everything we’ve done together.”_

Baekhyun paused and stared at those words in bliss.

_“I’m glad! Are you starting to enjoy normal life?”_

There was another long pause.

_“Yes. A lot.”_

Baekhyun clutched his phone happily and held it to his chest as he tried to think of a response. He didn’t have much time to think though, and was surprised to receive another text from Sehun.

_“I want to thank you. On Christmas Eve, can I treat you to dinner?”_

Baekhyun let out an audible squeal and then covered his mouth. The class turned to look at him and he quickly hid his phone. He smiled at everyone before they turned to look back at what they were previously doing.

_“I’d love that!_ (´ㅅ` )♡”

“Who are you talking to?” Kyungsoo asked, noticing the squeal earlier.

Baekhyun jumped a little in excitement, “Sehun!”

Princess Nari, who was also in the class, overheard him and glared at him from across the room.

Baekhyun continued staring at the words Sehun had written him, he couldn’t keep his eyes off it. He couldn’t concentrate the whole rest of class, or even the entire day. All he could think about was going to dinner with Sehun.  
  
  


——————————

 

“Hi Wu!” Princess Nari enthusiastically cried out as she waved her hand vigorously in the air.

Sehun was busy walking towards his room, he heard Nari and increased his walking speed to avoid her, disappearing quickly around a corner. Nari suddenly hurried after him, and Sehun could hear her getting closer. He started sprinting down the hallway, Nari was still shouting in the distance.

Sehun turned another corner and ran up to Baekhyun’s door. He quickly took out his keys and went to the spare key Baekhyun had given him. He unlocked Baekhyun’s door and quickly stepped inside, shutting and locking it again.

He turned around to face a surprised Baekhyun, who was sitting on the couch watching the TV. Sehun noticed there were tears in his eyes. Sehun came over to him and stared down at him. Baekhyun quickly began to wipe his tears before standing up.

“Are you hungry? I’ll go make you something.” Baekhyun spoke in a trembling voice.

Sehun grabbed his arm to stop him from wiping his tears and keep him from leaving. Baekhyun stopped and lowered his head, more tears began to flow. Sehun suddenly heard the TV in the background and slowly turned his head to watch.

“It’s unfortunate that such measures have become necessary, but it’s an important step forward to keep the peace of the colonies. The Exo Pilots are a dangerous threat, anyone affiliated must be stopped as well. Let the execution of Exo Pilot 02’s brother be an example to all those who oppose OZ, we won’t tolerate your hindrance towards peace.”

Sehun quickly reached for the remote and turned off the TV. Baekhyun broke down into a heartbroken sob. Sehun reached out for him and pulled him towards himself, placing Baekhyun’s head against his chest. Baekhyun desperately clung to his shirt and buried his head.

“It’s all my fault!”

“No, you’re doing the right thing. Don’t blame yourself.”

Baekhyun didn’t answer him, he only continued weeping. Sehun wrapped his arms around him and held him tightly.

“…I’m sorry Byun.”

He held him for a long moment and closed his eyes as Baekhyun wept into his chest. Eventually Sehun lead Baekhyun to the couch and sat with him, still holding him closely. Baekhyun collapsed against Sehun until it was very late. His sounds of grief became less and less frequent until they eventually stopped.

Baekhyun suddenly stood up and started walking towards the kitchen. Sehun looked up at him curiously.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m going to make dinner. You must be starving right?”

Sehun got up and cut Baekhyun off, making his way into the kitchen. Baekhyun grabbed his arm.

“No it’s ok, let me do it.”

Sehun stared at him for a moment, it slowly became clear to him that Baekhyun needed a distraction. Baekhyun entered the kitchen and Sehun followed him. Baekhyun looked at him in surprise.

Sehun stared at Baekhyun with a determined expression, “Let me help.”

Baekhyun paused, and then nodded with a smile. Sehun grabbed one of the aprons and put it on. Baekhyun handed him some vegetables and Sehun began chopping them. Baekhyun watched him for a moment and smiled to himself.

“…Thank you Sehun.”

Sehun looked up at Baekhyun, “Mm.”  
  
  


——————————

 

Sehun was sitting on his couch when he heard excited knocking at the door. He got up and went over to answer the door, opening it to discover Baekhyun, who was dressed in a heavy coat. He immediately came running inside, grabbing onto Sehun’s arm and pulling him over to the window.

“Look at all the snow! Let’s go outside!”

Sehun looked out the window and noticed the heavy amount of snow falling, he turned to look at Baekhyun and nodded.

“Ok.”  
  
  


——————————

 

The snow was still heavily falling around them once they had finished getting dressed and made their way outside. Baekhyun looked at his sleeve and watched tiny snowflakes land on him, he was amazed that he could see their detail with his own naked eye. They were just like the pictures he had always seen, miniature works of art, every single one of them was unique. He smiled and stepped in front of Sehun to stop him from walking.

“Stick your tongue out, try to catch a snowflake!”

Baekhyun proceeded to stick his tongue out and look up at the sky, closing his eyes. Sehun stared at him for a moment before copying him. They stood facing each other with their tongues out for a long moment. Baekhyun giggled once he finally caught one, feeling a drop of icy cold moisture on his tongue. He opened his eyes and watched as Sehun continued trying. He secretly took out his phone and took a picture of Sehun sticking his tongue out.

Baekhyun smirked as he leaned down to collect some snow. Sehun finally closed his mouth once he felt a snowflake melt on his tongue and looked down at Baekhyun. Baekhyun giggled as he suddenly threw a snowball at his chest. Sehun stared at Baekhyun with a confused expression.

“Why are you throwing snow at me?”

Baekhyun laughed, realizing he must have offended Sehun, “It’s a snowball fight, it’s a game. We try to hit each other for fun, but not hurt each other.”

Baekhyun quickly knelt down and started to make another snowball, Sehun watched him and started copying him. Baekhyun shot up and ran away giggling, Sehun noticed and chucked his snowball at him, hitting him perfectly in the back. Baekhyun laughed as he continued running away and hid behind a corner.

They continued chasing each other around the school ground, hiding behind objects and popping out to throw snow at each other. Sehun really liked this game, and smiled a few times whenever he made a good shot. Baekhyun noticed and smiled back at him, overjoyed that Sehun was having fun. He burst out laughing every time Sehun hit him, and even managed to get a few good shots himself. 

Eventually Baekhyun popped out at Sehun and tackled him, pushing them both to the ground. Baekhyun tugged on him and tried to start rolling around with him, but Sehun thought they were still fighting, and rolled on top of Baekhyun to pin him down. Baekhyun stared up at Sehun and smiled, his cheeks and nose were rosy from the cold. Sehun paused, noticing his painted features. He watched as puffs of air escaped Baekhyun’s small pink lips.

_Thump thump_

Sehun was overcome with a sudden urge. He wanted to kiss those lips. For a short moment he imagined it in his mind, what it might feel like to kiss Baekhyun.

“I can’t fight you.” Baekhyun laughed, “You win.”

Sehun took a deep breath and sat up, “Sorry.”

“Let's make a snowman!” Baekhyun shouted as he stood up.

They spent a long time constructing a snow man, and it turned out a lot better than their sandcastle had. They moved on to making snow angels next, and by the end of it they had gotten pretty cold and were ready to go back inside.

“Thanks Sehun, that was a lot of fun.”

Sehun nodded, “It was.”

Baekhyun smiled at him, his eyes practically sparkling with joy. All his hard work was finally paying off, Sehun was becoming human again.  
  
  


——————————

 

Chanyeol heard some knocking at his door, and nervously tensed up, fearing it was Kyungsoo. He slowly went over to the door and swallowed deeply as he opened it. Baekhyun smiled at him once the door had been fully opened.

“Oh…Byun, hey.”

Baekhyun smirked at him, “Expecting someone else?”

Chanyeol looked away, “…No.”

“Look, I’ve come to help you out a little. So, let’s just get this out of the way. You like Do right?”

Chanyeol’s face flushed, “What?”

Baekhyun giggled, “I knew it.”

Baekhyun stepped inside, and closed the door for Chanyeol.

“Christmas time is so romantic, it’s a good chance to get in the mood.”

Chanyeol’s face turned a deeper shade, “…Get in the mood?”

Baekhyun laughed, “Yeah. You’re going to come shopping with me, I’ll help you pick out a good present for Do.”

Chanyeol stood motionlessly, lowering his head in embarrassment. Baekhyun started shoving him towards his bedroom.

“Come on, go get ready!”  
  
  


——————————

 

Sehun sat on his couch waiting. It was the weekend, and that meant Baekhyun would come into his room excited about accomplishing something on the list. Sehun had already eaten breakfast by himself, which happened sometimes on the weekend. But now it was past lunch time, Baekhyun never usually waited this long.

Sehun entered Baekhyun’s dorm and started searching every room, but Baekhyun wasn’t there.  
  
  


——————————

 

“You’ve got to be more assertive.” Baekhyun advised Chanyeol as they walked down the street together, passing many stores adorned with Christmas decorations.

Chanyeol scratched his head and groaned, “Yeah yeah.”

Baekhyun’s phone suddenly started ringing. He pulled it out and smiled with excitement when he saw Sehun’s name. He nervously brought it to his face as he went to answer it.

“Hi Sehun.”

Chanyeol looked over and noticed that Baekhyun was blushing.

“…Where are you?” Sehun asked on the other line.

“I’m out shopping with Park.”

There was a long pause, “…What are you shopping for?”

“Christmas presents. Sorry, I want to buy you something so I couldn’t take you with me.”

There was another long pause.

“Ok.”

Baekhyun smiled tenderly, “Sorry, I should have told you before I left. You’re not hungry are you?”

“I’m fine.”

“I’ll be back in a little bit.”

“Ok.”

“There should be some snacks in my fridge if you get hungry.”

“Ok.”

Baekhyun paused waiting to see if Sehun wanted to say anything else, “Bye.”

“Bye.”

Baekhyun hung up and Chanyeol burst out laughing. He had been holding it in the whole time. Baekhyun glared over at him.

“What’s so funny?”

“You like him?!”

Baekhyun puffed up, “Is that a problem?”

“No.” Chanyeol kept laughing, “Good luck.”

Baekhyun shoved his phone back into his pocket, “Look, I know he’ll probably never like me back, you don’t need to rub it in.”

Chanyeol stopped and looked over at Baekhyun anxiously, “…Sorry.”

Baekhyun looked over at a store window, “Here, this store looks good.”  
  
  


——————————

 

Sehun made his way downtown, deciding to try and find a good restaurant for him and Baekhyun to go to on Christmas Eve. There was loud Christmas music playing, and many couples walking together past him. They all looked so happy, holding on to each other and looking at each other affectionately. Sehun spotted one couple kissing each other, and he paused to watch them for a moment. He was so curious what it felt like, he couldn’t help imagining Baekhyun again.

Sehun turned his attention away from the couple and spotted a nice Italian restaurant. He quickly remembered his time together with Baekhyun in Italy, it seemed like a fitting place to go. He walked over to it and peeked in through the window. The waiters were all wearing suits, and there was someone playing a piano in the middle of the room. Sehun watched a few couples as they sat down, each time the man would pull out the chair for his lady. Sehun walked inside and began talking to the man at the podium, pointing over at the pianist.

When Sehun walked back outside, he quickly spotted Baekhyun’s face amongst the crowd, walking along with Chanyeol.

_Thump thump_

He went to go after Baekhyun, but stopped himself remembering that he was Christmas shopping. Sehun stood and watched them, Baekhyun was laughing and talking with Chanyeol. They turned a corner and exited Sehun’s vision.

Sehun paused thinking to himself, _“A Christmas present…”_  
  
  


——————————

 

Sehun stood next to Baekhyun’s fridge as he ate a few snacks. It had been hours since he had gotten back home. Suddenly he heard someone at the door, fiddling with their keys trying to open it. Sehun quickly put down his food and hurried over to the door, opening it for Baekhyun. Baekhyun looked up at Sehun smiling, surprised to see him in his room.

“Hi Sehun!”

Sehun smiled back at him, “Hi.”

Baekhyun bit his lip, he really couldn’t get over Sehun’s smile, “Were you having a snack?”

“Yes.” Sehun answered as he went to grab the few bags Baekhyun was holding.

Baekhyun smiled and watched Sehun as he carried the bags into the room for him. Baekhyun removed his scarf and walked into the room.

“I bought some decorations.”

“You’re going to decorate?”

“Yeah, in your room. I’ll make you something to eat and then we can get started.”

Baekhyun took off his coat and went into the kitchen, Sehun followed behind him. Baekhyun started getting ingredients out of the refrigerator and suddenly noticed Sehun was watching him.

“What is it?”

“Nothing.”

“You never watch me cook.”

Sehun remained silent. Baekhyun paused staring at him, trying to analyze his expression.

“Were you lonely?”

Sehun didn’t answer him again. Baekhyun smiled and went back to preparing the food, realizing Sehun wasn’t going to say anything. Sehun watched as Baekhyun put on an apron and started chopping up some ingredients. Sehun came into the room and stood next to Baekhyun.

“… Can you tell me when you’re leaving?”

Baekhyun stopped chopping and looked up at him in surprise. Sehun was staring at him with such a serious expression.

Baekhyun smiled at him gently, “I promise.”

Sehun held up his hand with his pinky extended. Baekhyun bit his lip as he held up his pinky as well, locking them together.

Baekhyun continued cooking and he noticed Sehun occasionally stealing small bites of food. Baekhyun laughed and held out a small piece to him. Sehun paused, staring at Baekhyun’s delicate hand. He leaned forward and ate the food off Baekhyun’s fingers. Baekhyun’s heart skipped a beat as he felt Sehun’s mouth on his skin, he even felt his tongue slightly lick his finger. Baekhyun turned around nervously and kept cooking, he could feel how hot his face had gotten. His hands were shaking a little as he continued preparing the food. Sehun continued staring at Baekhyun, watching him closely.

The water suddenly started boiling over and Baekhyun rushed over to it, removing the lid. He stirred it for a minute and lowered the temperature. Once it had calmed down, Baekhyun suddenly felt Sehun hold the back of his shirt. Baekhyun turned to look at him in surprise.

“What is it?”

Sehun paused, “…I think I was lonely.”

Baekhyun smiled and put down his wooden spoon. He stepped closer to Sehun and put his arms around him to hug him. Sehun wrapped his arms around Baekhyun as well and lowered his head to rest it on top of Baekhyun’s. Baekhyun’s heart started pounding, he closed his eyes as he snuggled close to him.

“…You can hug me whenever you want to.”

Sehun nodded and also closed his eyes, “I always used to feel lonely, I just never realized it before.”

Baekhyun smiled, “I know. You didn’t even have anyone to talk to, much less hold. Everyone craves to hold someone. People need this. I need this too.”

Sehun remained silent as they held each other for a long moment. Baekhyun never wanted to let go, but he could hear the water bubbling behind him.

“Sorry, I need to keep cooking.”

Sehun let go of him, “Ok.”  
  
  


——————————

 

Sehun, Baekhyun, Kyungsoo, and Chanyeol were all standing together at their desks. Baekhyun and Chanyeol were doing most of the talking, conversing about the weather and how crazy it was to finally experience it. Sehun had his eyes on Baekhyun the whole time, remaining silent as usual. He watched as Chanyeol casually placed his arm around Baekhyun’s shoulder, laughing with him about something Sehun wasn’t even paying attention to. All he could think about was Chanyeol’s large hand holding onto Baekhyun.

He stared at Baekhyun’s face, he looked so happy as he was chatting with Chanyeol. They seemed to have so many things to talk about, they just kept going. Even when Sehun spotted them out shopping together, they were laughing and talking like this. Sehun didn’t understand, when did they grow so close?

Chanyeol let go of Baekhyun, but he kept touching him as they continued conversing. Whether it was just smacking him on the arm, or patting the top of his head, Sehun noticed it all.

Sehun suddenly stood up as he continued staring at Baekhyun, “Can we talk alone for a minute?”

Baekhyun looked at Sehun in surprise, “Of course.”

Sehun started to walk off and Baekhyun followed him. Chanyeol and Kyungsoo watched them curiously.

Baekhyun leaned in to whisper to Sehun, “Is everything ok?”

“I don’t feel well.”

Baekhyun stopped Sehun and raised his hand to feel Sehun’s forehead, staring at him in concern.

“Are you sick?”

“…I don’t know. I’ve never felt this way before.”

Baekhyun paused, “Where does it hurt?”

Sehun thought for a moment, “Everywhere.”

Baekhyun felt his forehead again, desperately trying to figure out what was wrong.

“I think I’m going to go back to my room.”

“I’ll come with you.” Baekhyun quickly replied.

Sehun stared at him for a moment before nodding. Baekhyun grabbed his arm and walked out of the classroom with him.

“Sehun you’re scaring me.”

“I’ll be fine. I just need to rest.”

“It has to be pretty serious if it’s bothering you. I’ve seen you stand up and walk after you broke your leg.”

“I’m fine, I just want to rest.”

Baekhyun walked with Sehun into his room and Sehun started taking off his uniform, removing his jacket and tie. Baekhyun watched him for a moment.

“I’ll go make you something to eat.”

Sehun nodded as he continued undressing himself. Baekhyun returned after a little while with a bowl of soup. He sat down next to Sehun on his bed and handed it to him. Sehun started to eat it and Baekhyun scooted behind him to start massaging him.

“Thanks. I feel better.”

Baekhyun paused, “Already?”

Sehun nodded.

“Just needed a day off?”

“Maybe.”

Baekhyun continued massaging him as Sehun finished his soup. He placed the bowl down on his night stand and laid back onto the bed to look up at the ceiling. Baekhyun laid down next to him, laying on his side to face him. They laid for a long time in silence before Sehun finally spoke.

“…I think it’s a new emotion…one I’ve never experienced before.”

Baekhyun propped himself up on his arm, “Are you upset about something?”

Sehun paused, “I don’t know.”

“When did you start feeling this way?”

“When you were talking to Park.”

Baekhyun stared at him for a moment, “…Were you mad I was talking to him?”

Sehun slowly turned his head to look at Baekhyun, “Is he your best friend?”

Baekhyun blinked a few times in surprise, “No, you are.”

Sehun remained silent and Baekhyun scooted closer to him, “Are you jealous I have other friends?”

“…I think so.”

Baekhyun smiled, Sehun really was just like a little kid sometimes, “We can all be friends. You don’t have to be jealous, I’m much closer to you.”

“…You look like you have more fun with Park.”

Baekhyun reached out his hand to hold Sehun’s arm, “Trust me, I have the most fun when I’m with you.”

Sehun stared into Baekhyun’s eyes and felt reassured by Baekhyun’s honest expression. Baekhyun laid his head down on Sehun’s chest.

“I’ll never replace you Sehun.”

Sehun wrapped his arm around Baekhyun and rolled over on his side to face him. They laid in silence for a while holding onto each other. Baekhyun could tell Sehun still wasn’t in the best mood, and he remembered something his sisters always used to do to cheer him up.

Baekhyun smiled as he raised his hand to grab Sehun’s side and start squeezing it a little, trying to tickle him. Sehun didn’t even flinch, but he looked down at Baekhyun’s hand in confusion.

“What are you doing?”

Baekhyun giggled, “Trying to tickle you. You’re sides aren’t ticklish though.”

Baekhyun sat up and reached down for Sehun’s feet, tickling the bottom of them. Sehun kicked his foot slightly and Baekhyun laughed.

“Ah ha!”

Sehun smiled at him and sat up. He reached for the bottom of Baekhyun’s feet and started tickling them. Baekhyun giggled and kicked his feet as his whole body squirmed. Sehun suddenly crawled on top of him and Baekhyun froze as he stared up at him. Sehun quickly reached for Baekhyun’s sides and started tickling them, Baekhyun curled up into a ball and erupted into laughter.

“Wait! …I was testing you!” Baekhyun tried his best to speak in-between his laughter.

Sehun pulled Baekhyun’s shirt out of his pants and snuck his hands under to touch Baekhyun’s skin. Baekhyun froze again and his heart started pounding. Sehun started tickling his sides again and Baekhyun tossed around in laughter.

“This isn’t fair! …You’re stronger…Stronger than me!”

Baekhyun reached up his arms and tried to tickle Sehun again, but Sehun still didn’t react. Sehun smiled down at him as he relentlessly continued, he was having a lot of fun, he really liked touching Baekhyun. Baekhyun moved his hands to Sehun’s armpits, but still Sehun wouldn’t flinch. Finally Baekhyun snuck his hands under Sehun’s shirt and started to touch his skin.

Sehun paused, he was starting to get that feeling again, that strong urge and desire. He swallowed deeply before he continued, trying his best to ignore it. 

“Come on!… How are you…not ticklish!?”

Sehun lowered his body and snuck his hands under Baekhyun to tickle his back. Baekhyun arched his back and let out a large laugh as he reached his hands for Sehun’s back as well. Suddenly Baekhyun lunged forward and sunk his teeth into Sehun’s shoulder. Sehun chuckled a little and Baekhyun smiled at hearing the sound.

Sehun leaned forward and bit Baekhyun’s shoulder as well. Baekhyun’s eyes widened in surprise, his breath halted for a moment as he tightly gripped onto Sehun’s back. Sehun slowly opened his mouth to release Baekhyun’s shoulder. He kept his face close to Baekhyun’s body, that feeling was getting stronger again, it was getting impossible to ignore. He took a deep breath and backed away from Baekhyun, getting off of him.

Baekhyun took a deep breath as well, his nervous heart was still pounding. It didn’t help when he looked over at Sehun and saw a smile on his face. Sehun really had a way of driving him crazy, sending him through a whirlwind of emotions. Baekhyun was pretty sure he was never going to get his sanity back.

“Sorry I made you leave class with me.”

Baekhyun laughed, “Are you kidding? This is way better than class.”

Sehun nodded, a warm smile still on his face.  
  
  


——————————

 

Sehun and Baekhyun ate their breakfast together chewing quietly on their food. Sehun looked up at Baekhyun a few times nervously, and then went back to eating. Baekhyun looked up at Sehun as well, stealing a few glances at him while he ate. Eventually they ended up staring at each other, and Baekhyun nervously laughed.

“Is it good?”

“Mm.”

Baekhyun smiled and looked down to continue eating.

“…I…I want to talk.” Sehun spoke quietly.

Baekhyun looked back up at him in concern, “Is something wrong?”

“No…I just want to talk to you.”

Baekhyun paused staring at him and then smiled, touched that Sehun merely wanted to have a conversation with him. Sehun really was starting to open up with him.

“Are you having trouble thinking of something to say?”

Sehun nodded. Baekhyun laughed a little, placing down his utensil.

“Honestly, I have a hard time thinking of things to say to you too. Here, let me see something.” Baekhyun took out his phone and started looking something up, “Good questions to ask to get to know someone…Here’s one. What is your favorite memory?”

Sehun paused in thought, “…My birthday, when you made me a cake…But I also liked having that snowball fight with you.”

Baekhyun smiled warmly at him, overjoyed that he was a part of Sehun’s favorite memories.

“My favorite memory is when you spit gum at my face. It’s the first time I heard you laugh, I was so happy.”

Sehun stared at him for a moment and then smiled. Baekhyun inhaled a large breath of air, he felt like he was melting inside.

“Ok…Let’s see… What smell brings back great memories?”

“Your smell.”

Baekhyun blushed and froze for a moment, it didn’t even occur to him that Sehun would have smelled him before.

“…I like the way you smell too.”

Baekhyun nervously kept searching, “If you could make a holiday, what would it be like?”

There was a long moment of silence as Sehun thought about it. Baekhyun was trying to think as well, it was kind of a difficult question.

“…A list day.” Sehun finally answered.

Baekhyun slowly looked up at Sehun in surprise.

“So everyone could accomplish things they’ve never done before.”

Baekhyun smiled at Sehun tenderly, extremely touched by his words. His eyes became a little wet as they built with a few tears.

“Can I copy yours?”

“Ok.”

Baekhyun lowered his phone and spent a long moment smiling at Sehun. He was so glad he wrote down that list all that time ago. He never imagined he would get to share it with someone that cherished it as much as he did.


	23. Christmas Eve

Baekhyun adjusted his hair in the mirror, smiling at his reflection with a look of pure bliss. He was wearing a nice sweater and some dress pants, an outfit he had finally decided on after trying on a plethora of other options. Baekhyun took out his phone and stared at the time, Sehun should be there any minute. It was Christmas Eve, and Baekhyun hadn’t slept that night, thinking about dinner with Sehun.

There was a knock on the door and Baekhyun went running to answer it. Sehun was standing at the door wearing a long coat.

“Almost ready?”

Baekhyun smiled, “Yeah I just finished.”

Baekhyun grabbed his coat and put on some gloves. He wrapped a scarf around his neck and reached for a small bag by the door. He stepped out of the door next to Sehun and started locking it.  
  
  


—————————

 

The host took Sehun and Baekhyun’s coats and began to show them to their table. Baekhyun looked around the restaurant in awe, it was filled with beautiful garlands and stringed lights, along with a large Christmas tree. Baekhyun stared at the pianist in the middle of the room, accompanied by a violinist. They were playing Christmas music together, and it filled the room with a romantic feeling.

They arrived at their table, which was near a stone fireplace, and Baekhyun stared at the candle flickering in the center. Sehun pulled out Baekhyun’s chair, and Baekhyun paused smiling at him, impressed by his gentlemanly act. He sat down with a smitten expression on his face. Baekhyun placed his bag under the table as Sehun sat down.

Sehun started to look at the menu. Baekhyun couldn’t help staring at him for a moment, he looked so handsome illuminated by the candlelight.

“This is a nice place, how did you find it?”

“I walked around.”

Baekhyun smiled and then finally looked down at his menu, “What are you getting?”

“Pasta.”

“Me too, there are so many options here.”

After finalizing what they wanted, the waiter eventually came over to take their order. Sehun looked up at the waiter.

“Prenderò gli spaghetti alla carbonara e lui gli scampi alla diavola. I musicisti sono pronti?” _(I will have spaghetti alla carbonara. He will have scampi alla diavola. Are the musicians ready for my cue?)_

“Sì Signore, sono pronti in qualsiasi momento.” _(Yes sir, they are ready for you at any time.)_

“Grazie.” _(Thank you.)_

Baekhyun watched Sehun with a large smile on his face. The waiter walked off and Baekhyun rested his chin on the back of his hands.

“I love when you speak Italian.”

Sehun smiled, “You do?”

“Yes, I love the way it sounds.” Baekhyun bit his lip staring at him, “Say something else.”

Sehun stared deeply into Baekhyun’s eyes. It suddenly dawned on him, speaking Italian was a good way to express himself without letting Baekhyun know what he was saying.

“Sei così...bello.” _(You are so beautiful)_

Baekhyun giggled, “Longer, say a really long sentence.”

Sehun paused, thinking of more things to confess, “A volte penso a come sarebbe baciarti...Non capisco perché, ma ho voglia di provare a farlo. Averti intorno mi fa venire voglia di...” _(Sometimes I think about kissing you. I don’t understand why, but I want to try it. I get so many impulses when I'm around you.)_

Baekhyun sighed, lovestruck with the way Sehun’s voice sounded speaking the language. He paused for a long moment, staring at Sehun in bliss.

“I’m so glad I met you.”

Sehun smiled, “Thanks for finding me.”

Sehun secretly glanced over at the musicians standing behind Baekhyun and nodded to them. They nodded back and suddenly transitioned to a different song. Baekhyun noticed the change, and recognized the song they were playing. He could never forget it, it was the song he waltzed with Sehun to.

Sehun suddenly stood up and came over to Baekhyun, holding out his hand to him. Baekhyun stared at him a little confused, but placed his hand inside Sehun’s. Sehun lead him over to the empty floor near the piano, and positioned their hands for a waltz. Baekhyun smiled brightly, realizing Sehun wanted to dance.

They began to spin in slow circles, and the other couples in the room suddenly noticed them. They smiled as they watched them move around the piano, touched by their beautiful dance. Even the musicians smiled as they watched them.

Baekhyun blushed as he stared into Sehun’s eyes, Sehun was staring at him with such an affectionate expression. Baekhyun felt like he was melting into a puddle of happiness.

They finished their dance and Sehun bowed to Baekhyun. Baekhyun really felt like he was dreaming. The tables around them began clapping, and small chatter filled the room. Baekhyun glanced around at everyone shyly. Sehun smiled and took his hand to lead him back to the table. The music transitioned back to a Christmas song as they sat back down. The other couples were still watching them, smiling and whispering about them.

“You set that up?” Baekhyun asked with a shy smile.

Sehun smiled, “Yes.”

Baekhyun bit his lip, still smiling with joy. Their food suddenly came and they began eating their meal. As Baekhyun was eating, Sehun suddenly held out a bite of his pasta to him. Baekhyun’s heart fluttered as he looked up at him. He nervously opened his mouth and Sehun fed him, gently pushing the bite inside his mouth. Sehun stared at Baekhyun’s lips as they pressed against the fork.

“It’s yummy.” Baekhyun nervously smiled.

Sehun waited a moment staring at him, “Can I try yours?”

“Oh sorry! Of course!”

Baekhyun made a small bite on his fork and raised it to Sehun’s mouth. Sehun ate it and smiled after he swallowed.

“It’s good.”

Baekhyun was overstimulated with all the smiles Sehun was sending him, he felt like his head was going to explode.

Once they finished their meal and the waiter had taken away their plates, Sehun reached under the table. Baekhyun’s eyes widened once he noticed Sehun was holding a small package.

“A Christmas present.” Sehun smiled as he handed it to Baekhyun.

Baekhyun slowly reached out his hand to take it from him, still in slight shock. He opened it carefully, removing the ribbon tied around it. It was a small empty picture frame.

“You like taking pictures right? I thought you could put one in there.”

Baekhyun paused for a long moment looking down at the gift, tears beginning to fill his eyes. Sehun watched him curiously.

“Are you sad?”

Baekhyun quickly looked up at him smiling, “No no, these are happy tears!”

“Happy tears?”

“Yeah, so happy it makes you want to cry.”

Sehun paused, his face still a little confused, “I didn’t think you’d like it that much.”

“I love it. Thank you Sehun.”

Sehun smiled and nodded. Baekhyun suddenly took out his phone and stood up to go over to Sehun.

“Here, let’s take a picture right now to put in it.”

Baekhyun sat down on Sehun’s lap and held up his camera, pointing it at them both as he smiled. Sehun looked over at Baekhyun and then into the camera, he smiled warmly as Baekhyun took the picture.

Baekhyun lowered the phone and froze once he looked at the photo. His heart skipped a beat as he stared at Sehun’s smile. He finally captured it on camera, he could look at it whenever he wanted to. There was no better gift to Baekhyun than a picture of them smiling together. He was definitely going to frame this one.

Baekhyun went back to his seat and reached for the bag he had brought under the table.

“Here, this is your present!”

Sehun took it from him still smiling. He pulled out the tissue and reached into the bag, lifting out a scarf.

“You said it was cold outside.”

Sehun’s smile grew larger as he wrapped it around his neck, “Thank you.”

“Merry Christmas Sehun.”

“Merry Christmas Baekhyun.”

Baekhyun blushed and opened his mouth a little in surprise. He said his name. Sehun called him Baekhyun. He was going to remember this Christmas forever.  
  
  


—————————

 

It was snowing when they exited the restaurant, the small snowflakes sparkled in the orbs of light under the lampposts. Sehun was happy to have his new scarf, it had gotten pretty freezing in the night. They walked together along the sidewalk, going in and out of the light cast on them from the lampposts. Sehun stared at the snow falling in the light and suddenly stopped. Baekhyun noticed and turned to look at him.

“What is it?”

Sehun pointed up. Baekhyun looked up and spotted a mistletoe hanging from the lamppost. He looked back down at Sehun and blushed once he realized Sehun was leaning towards him. Baekhyun closed his eyes nervously, his heart beating out of control.

Sehun was nervous as well, and moved slowly before pressing a gentle kiss on Baekhyun’s cheek. He felt sick, like he was going to throw up.

Baekhyun slowly opened his eyes, realizing Sehun had chosen to kiss his cheek. He smiled to himself shyly as Sehun lingered on the kiss for a long moment. Baekhyun looked down at the ground with a smitten expression as Sehun pulled away.

“Your cheeks are cold.”

Sehun reached up and put his hands on Baekhyun’s cheeks. Baekhyun looked at him for a moment and then nervously looked back down.

“Is something wrong?”

Baekhyun quickly looked back up at him blushing, “No, I’m fine!”

“We should get back home.”

Baekhyun nodded. They walked off together and Baekhyun rested his head on Sehun’s shoulder as he grabbed onto Sehun’s arm. As they walked together Baekhyun looked over and spotted some people ice skating on a frozen lake. Baekhyun smiled and started pulling Sehun over to it.

“What is it?”

“Let’s go ice skating!”

After renting some skates and putting them on, they went over to the lake. Sehun skated onto the ice without a problem, but Baekhyun hesitated behind him. He nervously stepped onto the ice and his legs started to wobble. Sehun watched him and grabbed onto his hands, trying to help stabilize him.

Baekhyun laughed, “This is kind of scary!”

Sehun smiled at him, “You get scared of strange things.”

“It’s not strange, it will hurt if I fall!”

“You won’t fall, I won’t let you.”

Baekhyun looked up at Sehun and blushed. Sehun walked backward on the ice as he guided Baekhyun. Baekhyun slowly got better with Sehun’s help, and his legs started to wobble less.

“You think you could walk on your own?” Sehun asked.

“I can try.”

Sehun slowly let go of Baekhyun’s hands and Baekhyun continued skating towards him. He smiled as he glided his feet across the ice. They began to skate around the lake together, moving slowly.

Baekhyun watched the snow falling all around them, twinkling beautifully as it gracefully fluttered to the ground. It was hard to believe, skating around with Sehun in such a peaceful atmosphere, that they were in the middle of a war. It was a constant fear in the back of Baekhyun’s mind. He wished the war could somehow disappear on it’s own, and he could just stay going to school with Sehun like a normal teenager.

“Sehun…You asked me before what I would do if I wasn’t a soldier…Have you ever wondered how your life might have gone?”

“I never thought about it.”

Baekhyun weakly smiled, “…I have…I’ve been thinking about it a lot lately…What your passions would have been…What you would spend your time doing…What both our lives might have been like without this war…I wonder if we ever would have met each other…”

Baekhyun stopped skating and stared up at Sehun, “It’s strange to imagine, us as just ordinary high school kids…Maybe you’d be on the basketball team since you’re so tall…Or maybe you’d like spending your time reading in the library because you’re so smart…I’m sure you’d be really popular since you’re so handsome…But no matter how many times I imagine it…I just can’t help feeling like we never would have met.”

Sehun raised his hand and wiped the small amount of moisture that was starting to grow in Baekhyun’s eyes, “I don’t want that life. I’m happy with this one.”

Baekhyun smiled and wiped the rest of the tears, “Sorry, you’re right, there’s no use wondering about it…I guess those things didn’t happen because they weren’t meant to. This life holds our true fate.”

Sehun paused, “You believe in fate?”

“Yes, I feel everyone has their own fate. I feel like it’s destiny that we met each other.”

Sehun thought about it for a moment, “So you feel like everything happened just so we could meet?”

“Well, not like everything was revolved around us…But the world needed to pay you back for everything you’ve been through…You needed to meet someone like me to show you what life is really like…It’s only fair.”

Sehun thought about it some more, he was silent for a long time. He grabbed Baekhyun’s hand as he started skating again.

“Ok. I believe in fate too.”

Baekhyun laughed, “Well that was easy.”

“I trust your opinion. I’ve thrown everything else away, only your words matter to me now.”

Baekhyun blushed as he let Sehun pull him along. Even though he had been trying to help Sehun this entire time, he never actually imagined having this big of an impact on him. Baekhyun had never been more sure about his fate before. He knew this is exactly where he was meant to be, right next to Sehun. Sharing his list with Sehun and showing him what real life was like.

He smiled brightly as he started over at Sehun, “Is there anything I’ve shown you so far that you enjoy doing? I really want to help you find your passions Sehun.”

“Dancing.”

Baekhyun paused a little surprised, “Dancing?”

“Yeah. I like it.”

Baekhyun smiled, “Is that why you danced with me tonight?”

“Yes.”

Baekhyun squeezed his hand, “Ok, when we get home you have to do a dance for me.”

Sehun laughed a little, “Ok.”  
  
  


—————————

 

Once they came back inside they removed their coats and scarves. Baekhyun sat down on the couch and curled up his legs to hold them. Sehun tried to sit next to him but Baekhyun stopped him.

“No no, do a dance first.”

Sehun laughed a little in embarrassment. He took out his phone and went to his music. A song with a heavy dance beat suddenly started playing. Sehun handed the phone to Baekhyun and Baekhyun stared at him in surprise, not expecting him to dance to something like this.

Sehun stood in front of him and listened to the music for a moment, bobbing his head slightly as he thought about it. He started dancing and Baekhyun froze watching him. He couldn’t believe how good Sehun was at it, he looked so sexy as he moved around. Sehun stopped after a minute and laughed again, still feeling embarrassed. Baekhyun stopped the music and jumped off the couch. He smiled as he grabbed onto Sehun’s arm.

“You’re amazing! Dance really is your passion!”

“Thank you.”

Baekhyun giggled as he put the music back on, “Dance with me! I’m not as good as you are though.”

Sehun smiled and started moving again. Baekhyun joined him, and Sehun laughed at the humorous way he moved his body. They continued dancing and laughing together even when the next song started, which also had a heavy dance beat.

“I didn’t know you liked this kind of music.”

“It’s good to dance to. I looked it up like you told me to.”

Baekhyun paused, remembering the moment in the store when he first told Sehun about hip hop.

“Do you dance by yourself sometimes?”

“Sometimes, if I’m bored.”

Baekhyun grabbed onto Sehun’s hands and started dancing with him in a silly way.

“Well you should let me know when you feel like it. I’ll always dance with you.”

Sehun smiled, “Ok.”

They danced for a long time, continuing to laugh together. Baekhyun couldn’t have been happier with how their evening turned out. He wished the night would never end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I finally updated this! I know...It was far too long. Please forgive me.
> 
> Again I would like to thank Moonharu for translating the Italian for me <3


	24. Anything

"Soooo." Baekhyun started as he stared at Chanyeol intensely, "How did it go?"

Chanyeol looked away, obviously feeling embarrassed, "...I gave him the present."

Baekhyun sighed, "I hope so, but that's not what I was asking. How did it go after you gave him the present?"

"...I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know?"

"I ran away..."

Baekhyun slapped his forehead with his hand, "Seriously?"

"He was looking at me...I freaked out."

Baekhyun took a deep breath and looked back up at Chanyeol, "Listen, Do's birthday is coming up and you are not going to blow it this time. You really need to be more assertive."

Chanyeol lowered his head, feeling defeated and letting out a sigh, "...All right."  
  
  


—————————

 

As Sehun sat in class, he found himself doing an unusual habit. He wasn't listening to the teacher, he was too busy thinking to himself. Thinking about Baekhyun. He couldn't stop thinking about him lately. Just remembering the times they spent together, doing things on the list, or the night they shared on Christmas Eve. Even more peculiar for Sehun, he started imagining things. Fantasizing about holding Baekhyun, touching his skin, and occasionally he would even think about kissing him. He had thought about those things before, but always when Baekhyun was around. He had never daydreamed in the middle of class before, or stayed awake at night preoccupied with these thoughts.

He would get that strange urge just from thinking about Baekhyun. A deep desire for something he didn't quite understand. His body's craving was beginning to cloud his mind, it was becoming difficult for him to concentrate. Somehow, even when he was touching Baekhyun, it wasn't enough. There was something else, something else his body wanted.  
  
  


—————————

 

Baekhyun looked through Sehun's closet, trying to decide on an outfit for him to wear. Sehun waited on the bed like usual, completely clueless on how to put together a decent looking ensemble. They had decided to go out to the movie theatre for Kyungsoo's birthday, so they were only dressing casual, but Baekhyun still liked to look perfect. He eventually came over to Sehun with a small stack of clothes and handed it to him.

Sehun took the clothes and stared down at them, pausing for a moment. Baekhyun started getting dressed as Sehun stared down at the items in his hand. Baekhyun had brought a few clothing options of his own, finally deciding on a outfit once he had put Sehun's together. Sehun started to pull his pants on as he watched Baekhyun, then he waited.

Baekhyun noticed Sehun had stopped getting dressed and looked over at him curiously, taking a moment to admire his body while he was only wearing a pair of jeans, "Is something wrong? Do you not like that outfit?"

Sehun licked his lips nervously, "...No the outfit is fine...It's just...Can you dress me?"

Baekhyun blinked a few times and then smiled, "I'd love to...But why?"

"I just like it."

Baekhyun bit his lip, "Ok."

Baekhyun smiled and went over to Sehun, grabbing the shirt he had picked out on the bed.

Baekhyun grabbed Sehun's shirt and raised his arms, Sehun smiled as he bent over so Baekhyun could reach him. Baekhyun pulled it over his head and Sehun managed the rest, pushing his arms through.

Baekhyun went to grab Sehun's jacket but Sehun stopped him, "I need my gun holster first."

Baekhyun laughed, "Do you really wear that everywhere?"

Sehun looked at him curiously, "Yes."

"I bet you feel naked without it, don't you?"

Sehun's expression turned more confused, "...I don't feel naked...It's incase of an emergency."

Baekhyun laughed again as he reached for Sehun's holster, "Never mind."

Baekhyun wrapped the holster around Sehun's back and Sehun put his arms through, adjusting it where he wanted. Baekhyun bit his lip as he buckled it onto Sehun's belt, enjoying dressing Sehun with dangerous weapons.

Lastly he grabbed Sehun's jacket and started pulling it on, zipping it up to hide his guns. Baekhyun started to push up his sleeves, revealing his arms a little. Sehun noticed the tingle it sent to his brain, the slight brushing of their skin as Baekhyun's hands delicately dealt with his sleeves. Sehun watched him closely, patiently waiting for him to finish. He stepped forward once Baekhyun was done, and wrapped his arms around Baekhyun, pulling him close. Baekhyun's heart tightened, suddenly being enveloped by Sehun's arms. There was a long moment of silence as Sehun held him tightly, Baekhyun was worried Sehun would be able to feel his heartbeat.

"...Sehun?"

"I want a hug."

Baekhyun took a large breath and relaxed against Sehun's body, remembering how he had given Sehun permission to hug him whenever he wanted. He didn't think Sehun would actually do it. He closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around Sehun, deeply enjoying his embrace.

Sehun also closed his eyes and started to rub Baekhyun's back a little. He pressed Baekhyun closer to himself, his body falling into that craving he didn't understand. He leaned his head close to Baekhyun's ear to speak to him quietly, desperate to express himself.

"Toccarti mi fa impazzire." _(Touching you makes me so crazy.)_

Baekhyun bit his lip, enjoying the sound of his Italian. He sighed happily and then turned to look at Sehun.

"What is it?"

Sehun smiled nervously, "Nothing, I just like hugging you."  
  
  


—————————

 

Chanyeol was the last to arrive, and immediately glared at Baekhyun once he noticed how overdressed he was. Baekhyun had told him to dress semi-formally, and that they would be going to a nice restaurant. He was furious once he discovered they were only going to the movies. He was so busy fuming that he missed Kyungsoo's touched expression, admiring how good he looked dressed in his nice clothes. It was such a large contrast to his usual oversized hoodies and baggy T-Shirts.

Baekhyun laughed a little to himself as he turned around, noticing Chanyeol's angry eyes on him. Chanyeol really did look so out of place, he felt kind of bad about it.

After getting some snacks they all sat down in the theatre together. Sehun was happy to have some popcorn again, recognizing it from their sleep over. Eventually the room went dark and a few ads started playing. Sehun noticed a few couples sitting in front of them, the guys all had their arm wrapped around their date. Sehun wondered if it would be ok for him to do, it was another good excuse to touch Baekhyun.

Baekhyun was sipping on his drink when Sehun suddenly draped his arm around his shoulders. Baekhyun immediately stiffened up, almost crushing his soda. He slowly turned his head to look at Sehun, only to meet Sehun's smiling face. Baekhyun nervously smiled back at him, his heart beating wildly.

Sehun suddenly leaned closer to Baekhyun to take a sip off his soda. Baekhyun took a deep breath, holding the drink tightly as he stared at Sehun's face. Sehun looked up at Baekhyun once he was done drinking, staring at him as he kept his face close. His eyes wandered down to Baekhyun's lips, wet with moisture from his drink.

"Is there something on my face?"

"No." Sehun simply answered as he leaned back into his seat.

Once the movie started Baekhyun glanced over at Chanyeol and Kyungsoo. They weren't even sharing their popcorn. Baekhyun glared at Chanyeol and coughed a few times to get his attention. Chanyeol looked over at him, and his eyes widened a little in surprise, seeing Sehun's arm wrapped around him. Baekhyun pointed at Sehun's arm, indicating he wanted Chanyeol to do the same to Kyungsoo. Chanyeol quickly shook his head, brushing off the idea. Baekhyun sighed and raised his drink, moving on to the next option. He mouthed the words, _"Offer him your drink."_

Chanyeol gulped, looking down at his drink and then over at Kyungsoo. Kyungsoo was busy munching on some popcorn, his eyes focused on the large screen. Chanyeol nervously extended the drink, but smacked it on the arm of the chair as he did so. It fell out of his hand, landing on Kyungsoo's lap, splashing ice cold soda all over him. Kyungsoo abruptly stood up in shock from the cold, making a small sound of surprise.

Chanyeol panicked and stood up, looking around for anything to wipe him off with. Baekhyun sighed as he watched him, how was Chanyeol this bad at this?

They ended up all leaving the movie together, following Kyungsoo into the bathroom as he tried to dry off his pants. Chanyeol apologized over and over again, anxiously grabbing him more paper towels to use. Kyungsoo smiled at him and told him it was ok, it was just an accident, but Chanyeol still felt terrible about it.

Afterwards they all went to Baekhyun's room to have the cake Baekhyun made. Baekhyun turned off the lights before appearing with the candlelit cake, starting to sing the birthday song. Chanyeol quickly joined in singing, more loudly and enthusiastically than Baekhyun, clapping his hands along with the beat. Sehun stared at them for a moment, realizing it was expected for everyone to sing along. He decided to clap along with Chanyeol, not wanting to sing. Baekhyun noticed him clapping and smiled a little as he continued singing, placing the cake down on the table.

Kyungsoo made a wish and then everyone enjoyed the cake together. Sehun kept eating it even once they started handing Kyungsoo some presents. Kyungsoo opened the one from Chanyeol first, anxious to see what he had gotten for him.

It was a blank CD, protected by an unlabeled plastic case. Chanyeol blushed as he quickly tried to explain.

"It's just some of my songs. I...I wrote one for you."

Kyungsoo turned red, feeling everyone's eyes on him as he clutched tightly onto the CD, "...Thank you."

Baekhyun pressed his lips together, trying not to smile too much at their cute behavior. He was proud of Chanyeol, finally doing something right. Baekhyun waited a moment before he handed Kyungsoo his gift.

"Here, this is from me and Sehun."

Kyungsoo gently placed the CD down before grabbing it from him. He opened it to find a cookbook he had told Baekhyun he really wanted. Kyungsoo smiled at them both, giving Baekhyun more attention.

"Thanks."  
  
  


—————————

 

Baekhyun happily watched Sehun as he ate his breakfast. He had a feeling Sehun had no idea about the significance of that day, but Baekhyun was extremely excited for it to unfold.

"Sehun, I think it's important for you to know, today is Valentine's Day." Baekhyun explained with an upbeat tone.

"...That's a day for lovers right?"

Baekhyun laughed, "Yeah. Just to warn you, you'll probably get a lot of confessions and chocolate."

Sehun paused thinking about it, he liked the sound of chocolate, but not a bunch of people coming up to him and confessing.  
  
  


—————————

 

There was no way Baekhyun was going to miss the opportunity to celebrate this day with Sehun, a day dedicated to chocolate, which was one of the few things Baekhyun knew Sehun enjoyed. He decided he wanted to try and make something for Sehun during his Home Ec class. He didn't want to make something too obvious, like a giant chocolate heart, and resolved to go with subtle cupcakes instead.

As he stirred his bowl of ingredients, he smirked to himself secretly glancing over at Kyungsoo. He was busy melting a bowl of chocolate. He wondered if Kyungsoo was going to go with something a little less subtle.

Princess Nari was also melting a bowl of chocolate. She and her group of friends were watching Baekhyun, taking note of what he was making.

"He's probably making that for Wu..."

Nari tightly squeezed the spoon she was holding, "We can't let that happen."

Nari continued to watch Baekhyun carefully, waiting for Baekhyun to step away from his bowl. Eventually he walked over to the ovens to start prepping it for his cupcakes, and Nari made her move. She ran over to his bowl and quickly poured in a dash of pepper. She stirred it in and disappeared before Baekhyun returned.

Baekhyun hummed to himself as he placed heart themed cupcake wrappers in his muffin pan. He poured the batter into the pan and then went over to the oven with them. Nari smirked as she watched him slide them inside the oven and close the door.

The timer went off and Baekhyun took them out of the oven with a bright smile on his face. They had puffed up beautifully. Baekhyun tore off a small bite and popped it into his mouth. All the joy in his face suddenly vanished. It tasted horrible. Baekhyun panicked and looked up at the clock, there wasn't enough time left to start over.

Nari smiled to herself as she placed the finishing decorations on her large chocolate heart. Her friends all quietly laughed as they stared over at Baekhyun's horrified expression.

"What's wrong?" Kyungsoo asked Baekhyun, noticing the depressed look on his face.

"...My cupcakes for Sehun...they taste horrible. I don't have anymore time."

Kyungsoo stared at him curiously, he had come to learn that Baekhyun always made delicious food. He figured he was probably just being harsh on himself since it was Valentine's Day. He reached for a small bite and put it in his mouth. He soon cringed from the unpleasant taste.

"Maybe you can buy some from the store?"

Baekhyun didn't answer him, he continued to stare down at his failed cupcakes. Of all the days for something to go wrong, why did it have to be today?  
  
  


—————————

 

Sehun walked towards their tree slowly, he was hoping Baekhyun might be there already. So many girls had already approached him that day, just like Baekhyun had warned him. He felt like he would be a sitting duck waiting under the tree all by himself. He decided to hide and wait for Baekhyun to appear, tucking himself away in the garden as he kept an eye out for Baekhyun.

As he was hiding, he noticed Chanyeol suddenly walk past him. Chanyeol stopped moving and looked around, it seemed like he was waiting for someone. Sehun noticed his peculiar body language, he realized Chanyeol must have been nervous.

After a little while Kyungsoo appeared, he walked up to Chanyeol and then stared down at the ground. He also seemed to be nervous, tightly holding on to a small bag. Kyungsoo lifted the bag and handed it to Chanyeol.

"Just something I made in Home Ec..." Kyungsoo defended, embarrassed by the transparency of the moment.

Chanyeol took it from him and pulled out a chocolate heart, he blushed as he stared at it, "Thank you."

Kyungsoo started to turn pink as well, "...Happy...Valentine's day..."

Chanyeol paused, turning a deeper shade as he stared at Kyungsoo. He remembered Baekhyun's advice, he needed to be more assertive. This was a perfect chance, he needed to seize the moment.

"We should go somewhere together!" Chanyeol suddenly blurted out in an abrupt manner.

Kyungsoo's eyes grew wide and he paused for a long moment in surprise. Chanyeol quickly became embarrassed, being forced to reflect on his own words in the awkward silence.

"You know, just as friends...Since we don't have a date..."

Kyungsoo's eyes dimmed a little in disappointment, "...Oh...Sure."

There was a long pause again, even Sehun felt awkward as he watched them. His eyes shifted to stare at the chocolate Chanyeol was holding. His expression suddenly saddened as he stared at it. He had been refusing chocolate all day, and it was starting to get to him. He was secretly hoping Baekhyun might give him some chocolate, it wouldn't be awkward if Baekhyun gave it to him.

Sehun snuck his way out of the garden, realizing Chanyeol and Kyungsoo weren't leaving. As he made his way back into the view of the public, a group of girls immediately approached him. Sehun was apprehensive at first, until he realized they weren't trying to confess to him.

"Wu, it's so terrible!"

Sehun stared at them curiously, but he didn't say anything. The girls knew about Sehun's quiet nature and continued without him asking them to.

"Princess Yoon sabotaged Bian's cupcakes! She poured pepper into his bowl without him knowing! We just overheard her talking about it!"

Sehun paused, the information slowly assimilating in his mind. Baekhyun made cupcakes. They were probably for him. Nari ruined his cupcakes. He wasn't going to get any chocolate.

"I can't believe she would do something like that, and she's the Princess so we can't do anything about it!"

"Thank you for telling me." Sehun finally spoke, earning him a look of surprise from the group of girls.

"Of course Wu! I hope everything can still be all right for you and Bian today!"

Sehun spotted Baekhyun sitting down under their tree. He nodded to the girls and then walked off. Sehun approached Baekhyun and then stared down at him, analyzing his face. Baekhyun looked up at him for a short moment before returning his gaze to the ground.

"What's wrong? You look upset."

Baekhyun snapped his head to look back up at him in surprise. Sehun had noticed so quickly that he was depressed.

"Oh sorry, I just made something really gross in Home Ec today, it's still bothering me."

Sehun sat down as he continued staring at him. Sehun had no idea what to say at a time like this, he was also really upset about the cupcakes.

Suddenly a girl approached them, nervously holding onto a decorated bag. There was an awkward pause as they both looked up at her, their gaze causing her to stiffen.

"Bian, I made this for you! I hope you can accept my feelings!"

Baekhyun smiled at her, "Thank you. I'm sorry but, I'm afraid I can't return your feelings. I'll take the chocolate if you still want me to have it."

The girl stood motionless for a moment, staring at Baekhyun as her eyes began to slightly water, "You're so gracious Bian!! Just like a real Prince!!"

She handed Baekhyun the chocolate and he took it from her still smiling.

Throughout their lunch girls continued to approach them, and Baekhyun accepted all their chocolate politely, even the ones for Sehun.

"Why are you keeping all the chocolate?"

Baekhyun smiled at Sehun as he added another gift to the pile, "It's Valentine's Day, I'd hate to give someone a bad memory."

Sehun stared at Baekhyun for a long moment, "I don't want you to have a bad memory either."

Baekhyun looked at him curiously, "What do you mean?"

"Some girls told me about your class today."

"What about it?"

"They told me Princess Yoon put pepper in your bowl when you weren't looking."

Baekhyun's eyes widened, "...She really did that?"

"Yes, it wasn't your fault. Everything you make is delicious."

Baekhyun smiled at him tenderly, extremely touched by his words, "Thank you."  
  
  


—————————

 

Nari suddenly approached Sehun as he was waiting for Baekhyun after class. She held up her oversized chocolate heart to him, protected by a clear plastic bag tied off with a ribbon.

"Happy Valentine's Day Wu! I made this for you. Please accept my heart and feelings for you!"

Sehun looked down at the heart but didn't move.

"What's wrong, you don't like chocolate? Or did you already receive too much? I heard you've been accepting all the girl's chocolate today, that's so kind of you."

Sehun glared at her, "Baekhyun accepted them. He doesn't want anyone to have a bad memory."

Nari twitched, noticing that Sehun called Baekhyun by his personal name.

"You know, Bian also made something today. I don't think his came out very well though, he must not be very good at it. I even saw Du try it, you should have seen his face, it must have been disgusting."

Sehun suddenly raised his arm and slapped Nari's chocolate out of her hand. It fell to the floor and broke into pieces inside the bag.

"A bad memory for giving Baekhyun a bad memory."

Sehun walked away from her, making his way into Baekhyun's classroom to find him. Nari slowly fell to the floor, tears forming in her eyes as she stared down at the broken chocolate.  
  
  


—————————

 

Once Baekhyun and Sehun had gotten inside Sehun's room, Baekhyun rushed into the kitchen. He was desperate to make something for Sehun, even with the limited ingredients he had at his disposal in Sehun's kitchen. Sehun waited on the couch, curious what Baekhyun was doing. He knew Baekhyun only had a few things in his kitchen, a small supply for Sehun incase he got hungry. After a short while Baekhyun came back out holding a mug. He put it in front of Sehun, and Sehun looked down at it. It was hot cocoa.

Baekhyun smiled at him warmly, "Happy Valentines Day."

Sehun smiled back at him and picked it up to take a sip, "Thank you."

Baekhyun sat down on the couch and snuck behind Sehun. He started to give him a massage, rubbing his back while Sehun drank his hot chocolate. Sehun smiled to himself as he drank it, extremely pleased to finally enjoy some chocolate, and a massage from Baekhyun.

He relaxed his body, leaning into Baekhyun's hands as they rubbed him. Even just the gentle touch from Baekhyun's hands was enough to rile Sehun up. He quickly fell into his imaginations, fantasizing about kissing Baekhyun's soft skin.

He spent a long time thinking about it as Baekhyun continued massaging him, the thought of it slowly riling him up more and more. He had forgotten about the mug in his hands, and his neglected drink started to get cold.

Eventually Sehun put down his mug and scooted away from Baekhyun. Baekhyun looked at him curiously.

"Sorry, am I bugging you?"

Sehun didn't answer, instead he reached out to grab Baekhyun, pulling him close into a hug. Baekhyun gasped a little in surprise, and shivered as he felt Sehun's hands sneak under his shirt, caressing his skin as he slowly traveled upward.

Baekhyun nervously held his breath, he wasn't mentally prepared for this, Sehun's strong hands caressing his body. Once Baekhyun's breath returned, he started to inhale at a rapid pace, matching the palpitation of his heart. He tried his best to slow it down, realizing Sehun could feel the inflation of his body. He was able to bring it back down to a normal speed, but there was no way for him to control the rapid beating of his heart. He swallowed deeply and closed his eyes, feeling a tug at his heart every time Sehun griped his back. It made him feel so small, the amount of his body Sehun could touch with his hands.

Sehun quickly became intoxicated by the soft feeling of Baekhyun's skin. His hands began to wander with desire rather than thought, following the command of the urges building inside him. Without previous exposure to such a strong craving, Sehun easily fell into it's clutches. Sehun's chest started building with large breaths of air, his mind slowly slipping away from rational thought. He pressed his body up against Baekhyun, pulling Baekhyun closer with his hands. He lowered his head, his nose lightly skimming Baekhyun's cheek as his lips searched for the soft touch of Baekhyun's lips.

If Baekhyun's heart could have jumped out of his throat, it would have. Sehun's lips slowly met with his own, lightly grazing them before pressing them down into a kiss. Baekhyun felt a strong tug at his heart as Sehun pulled Baekhyun closer to himself, pushing their lips tightly together.

They both started to feel dizzy, overtaken by the intensity of their emotions. Sehun pressed against Baekhyun harder, his craving for Baekhyun growing stronger with the duration of their kiss. The longer they held it, and the harder Sehun pressed against him, the more woozy they both felt.

Sehun finally broke away, staying close to Baekhyun's face. They breathed heavily on each other's lips, desperate for air after holding it in for so long. Their hearts were both pounding, blood rushing through their veins and making them feel like they were going to faint. Not even Baekhyun had felt such an intense surge of emotion before, he wondered how Sehun was handling it.

Sehun felt a little sick from how dizzy his head had gotten. That was not what he was expecting when he imagined kissing Baekhyun. There was so much feeling behind it besides the contact of their lips. It was almost as if he could feel Baekhyun's heart, their feelings connected and pouring into each other, amplifying it as they sent it back and forth. It was a little much for Sehun to handle, but he liked it. He never felt so alive before.

Baekhyun looked up into Sehun's eyes, trying read his expression, and Sehun finally snapped back to his senses. He took a nervous breath, suddenly realizing how out of control he had gotten, and released Baekhyun from his clutches. He backed away from Baekhyun and Baekhyun stared at him curiously.

Sehun swallowed deeply as he looked into Baekhyun's eyes, "Sorry...I'm sorry Baekhyun. I don't know what came over me."

Baekhyun quickly shook his head, "It's ok Sehun, you don't have to apologize."

Sehun looked down and remained quiet for a long moment. Baekhyun scooted closer to him and reached out to touch his hand. Baekhyun was about to speak, but stopped once he realized Sehun wanted to say something.

"...I just...I get so many urges when I'm around you."

Baekhyun's heart skipped at those words, it took a moment for him to fully take them in...Was Sehun really experiencing sexual desires for him?

"I don't understand what I'm feeling...I have so many new emotions now..."

Baekhyun squeezed his hand, "I'm sorry Sehun, I can imagine that would be pretty overwhelming."

Sehun looked back up into his eyes, "...Baekhyun...I'm afraid I'll lose control around you again."

Baekhyun took a deep breath, pausing on the thought of it, "Go ahead. Do whatever you want."

Sehun stared at him curiously, "You don't mind?"

"I get urges around you too." Baekhyun answered simply, not wanting to exaggerate about his feelings and possibly overwhelm Sehun.

Sehun licked his lips, staring at Baekhyun for a moment, "You do?"

Baekhyun nodded slowly, smiling at Sehun, "Yes, a lot." Baekhyun scooted closer to him again, "So please, don't hold back."

Sehun gulped, looking down at Baekhyun's lips again, "...Anything I want?"

"Anything."

Baekhyun stared at Sehun with almost a look of desperation. He knew this was a very critical moment, one wrong move and it could all be over. He so desperately wanted Sehun to make the leap, to dive in without thinking.

Sehun dove.

He leaned forward, staring down at Baekhyun's lips as he moved closer to him. Baekhyun took a deep breath and closed his eyes, leaning towards Sehun as well. Sehun wrapped one of his arms around Baekhyun's body to pull him close as their lips met again, their kiss lasting a long moment.

Fueled by another rush of emotion, Sehun raised his other hand to hold onto Baekhyun's cheek, pulling his face close as he continued to kiss him over and over, exhilarated by the feeling it sent through his entire body. He had quickly become addicted to Baekhyun's soft lips.

Baekhyun's brain was tingling, and his body was going numb. It was so much. Sehun was kissing him, that's all Baekhyun could think, and the thought of it made his heart throb. Sehun was really kissing him.

Sehun was going wild inside, he didn't know what to do with the freedom to fulfill all his cravings. His body was sending him so many signals he didn't understand. All he knew was he wanted more. Kissing Baekhyun wasn't enough.

Unconsciously he began to tear off Baekhyun's clothes, desiring to touch more of his skin. Baekhyun moaned, Sehun's lust was intensifying, and he began kissing Baekhyun aggressively fast. Baekhyun's heart tightened once Sehun grabbed his jacket and started pulling it off. He wasn't sure what Sehun was thinking, but it was more than he had ever hoped for.

Sehun didn't pause kissing him as he removed Baekhyun's jacket and tossed it aside. Baekhyun's tie didn't stop him either, but Baekhyun's shirt was a whole other problem. He didn't want to waste his time dealing with the hassle of each button. He grabbed each side of the shirt and ripped it open, sending buttons flying everywhere.

Baekhyun gasped, but his lips were locked with Sehun's and only a small sound could be heard trapped inside his mouth. Sehun continued kissing him and pulling off his ruined shirt. Although Baekhyun was surprised, he really loved how effortless it was for Sehun to rip his shirt apart. Baekhyun started to reach for Sehun's clothes, hoping to reveal Sehun's body as well. Sehun quickly started to help him, removing his jacket as Baekhyun removed his tie.

Baekhyun's hands felt for the buckle on Sehun's gun holster, undoing it and helping Sehun pull it off his arms. He wasn't sure what he liked better, dressing Sehun in weapons or taking them off. Sehun ripped off his own shirt as well, already feeling like this process had taken a torturous amount of time.

Sehun stared down at Baekhyun's exposed body, his lust easily amplified by the vision of Baekhyun's skin. Sehun suddenly moved to start kissing Baekhyun's bare body, his lips moving quickly across his skin. Baekhyun shivered with each kiss and gripped onto Sehun's shoulders. He was no longer able to think about what was going on, it was happening too fast. His mind had gone completely numb as his body reacted to Sehun's touch, tingling from each kiss.

Sehun went back to Baekhyun's lips again, kissing him with intense lust. He didn't know what he wanted, he just aimlessly followed the desire of his body. He pushed Baekhyun over, laying on top of him as he continued kissing him. He held onto Baekhyun waist and unintentionally started thrusting his hips as he kissed Baekhyun. Then he paused, realizing what his body so desperately wanted, what his body had been wanting for a while now.

They breathed heavily on to each other's lips again as Sehun hesitated. He swallowed deeply before speaking.

"Anything?"

Baekhyun's heart throbbed again, realizing what Sehun was asking. He took a few deep breaths.

"Yes, anything Sehun."

Sehun reached down and started to unbutton Baekhyun's pants. Baekhyun bit his lip and nervously watched him. Sehun stood up to rip the pants off Baekhyun's legs. Then, as he continued standing, he began to remove his own pants.

Baekhyun stared at Sehun's body, blushing once he noticed Sehun's large bulge. He couldn't believe what was happening, it all seemed so unreal.

Sehun stepped out of his pants and simultaneously took off his underwear. He went back over to Baekhyun and suddenly picked him up. Baekhyun wrapped his arms around Sehun's neck, a little confused why Sehun was suddenly carrying him.

Sehun started to walk towards the bedroom with him, holding onto him tightly. It fell dark as they entered the room, no lights were on and their eyes needed time to adjust. Sehun made his way over to the bed out of memory and gently placed Baekhyun down on the mattress. They couldn't see each other in the darkness, the only sense left to them was touch. Robbed of his vision, Baekhyun had no warning for Sehun's hands suddenly touching his sides, sliding down his body to his underwear, slipping them off his body.

Baekhyun took a deep breath as Sehun grabbed onto his waist, turning Baekhyun over to lay on his stomach. Baekhyun wondered why Sehun turned him over, but he didn't mind and he wasn't going to say anything. He buried his face into the bedsheets that smelled deeply of Sehun's aroma, taking a large inhalation of the scent. Sehun slowly laid down on top of him, their naked skin pressing close together. Baekhyun was screaming inside, he was barely able to contain his emotions. All he could do to keep his sanity was tightly grip onto the bedsheets.

Baekhyun spread apart his legs, allowing Sehun to fall in-between them. Sehun knew right at that moment, this was definitely what he wanted. He couldn't believe he never realized it before.

Sehun grabbed his waist and very slowly entered Baekhyun, moaning as he pushed himself inside. Baekhyun clenched onto the bedsheets tightly and bit down on his lip as he moaned. Sehun held onto his waist tighter as he continued to go deeper inside of him, pausing about halfway.

"Are you doing ok?"

Baekhyun nodded as he continued biting hard onto his lip, his heart racing in circles. Sehun reached forward with one of his hands and grabbed onto the back of Baekhyun's hand, interlocking their fingers. Sehun slowly pushed himself all the way into Baekhyun, gripping tightly onto Baekhyun's hand and his waist. Baekhyun bit down on the bedsheets, muffling a loud moan. Sehun paused, enjoying the feeling. He could feel Baekhyun's heartbeat throbbing on him, it was beating so fast.

Baekhyun closed his eyes and concentrated on the feeling of Sehun inside him. His heart tightened thinking about Sehun, the fact that it was really him. Sehun, the person he had been chasing for so long, the person who used to be so cold, the person who had stolen his heart. Sehun, his perfect amazing Sehun.

Tears began to form in his eyes as he squeezed Sehun's hand. No matter what happened, he would always have this moment.

Sehun started to move back and forth very slowly, deeply enjoying the feeling. He had never even worked himself before, this amount of pleasure was mind blowing to him. Sehun kept a tight grip on Baekhyun's hand as he thrust into him, moaning deeply with each movement.

Baekhyun's heart was trembling, he let out small high pitched breaths every time that Sehun thrust into him, also tightly gripping onto Sehun's hand.

"...This feels so fucking good." Sehun spoke as he tightly clenched his teeth.

Baekhyun's eyes widened a little in surprise, never hearing Sehun curse before. He wasn't even expecting him to talk. His heart was doing backflips, repeating the sound of Sehun's voice in his mind.

"Yeah...it does...You can do this all night." Baekhyun spoke slowly in a shaking voice.

Sehun squeezed his hand, "All night? I don't think I'll ever be able to stop. I'm going to want this all the time."

Baekhyun shivered, letting out a few more breaths as Sehun continued slowly humping him, "Take me whenever you want."

Sehun suddenly leaned forward and bit onto Baekhyun's shoulder as he pushed himself deep inside Baekhyun. Baekhyun dug his hands into the sheets, clenching them tightly as he moaned loudly into the bed.

Sehun laid his head onto the bed next to Baekhyun's, his mouth close to Baekhyun's ear. Baekhyun trembled at the sound of Sehun's heavy breaths, each exhale full of lust. He felt so overpowered, Sehun's large body easily devouring his own. He was completely enveloped by Sehun, getting lost in the sheets as Sehun pushed him down into the bed.

Sehun started to slip across Baekhyun's skin as he moved up and down, the sweat from their close contact creating a wet surface. A slushing sound could be heard as their skin rubbed together, followed by Baekhyun's soft exhale of breath. Sehun could barely hear Baekhyun's fragile voice as it whispered into the sheets.

Sehun pulled Baekhyun up, putting him in a crouching position. He gripped onto Baekhyun's waist as he started to move quickly, thrusting hard into Baekhyun. Baekhyun's moans turned into loud bursts of screaming, his senses going wild each time Sehun rammed into him. Baekhyun would have flown forward if it wasn't for Sehun's strong hands holding onto him, easily keeping him in place. He was completely under Sehun's power, at the mercy of his lust.

Just as Baekhyun's body started to tense up, Sehun went deep inside him again, also reaching his climax. They moaned together as Baekhyun felt Sehun's warmth fill inside him.

Once they stopped moving, the room was filled with the sound of their heavy breathing. Sehun slowly pulled out of Baekhyun and laid down on the bed next to him, his chest still rising with large breaths of air. Baekhyun flopped down as well, rolling over to lay on his back. Sehun reached out his arm to wrap it around Baekhyun, pulling him towards himself. Baekhyun weakly cuddled up to him, resting his head on Sehun's chest.

Baekhyun was in shock, it wasn't just a fantasy anymore. He had really done all that with Sehun. His eyes began to fill with tears again, overtaken by his happy emotions. Baekhyun raised his arm to wrap it around Sehun, cuddling closer to him. He didn't care why it had happened, if Sehun really did just fall under a fit of lust. All that mattered to Baekhyun at that moment was the fact that they had shared that kind of intimacy together, even if Sehun wasn't actually in love.

Sehun's body started twitching as he fell asleep, Baekhyun looked up at his face, staring at his peaceful expression. He reached for Sehun's hand, holding tightly onto it again as he leaned close to Sehun, kissing his cheek. He pulled away and stared at his face again for a long moment.

"Goodnight...My Sehun."

Baekhyun cuddled onto his chest again and Sehun grabbed onto him in his sleep, pulling him closer.

Baekhyun couldn't fall asleep that night, his mind was swarming with too many thoughts. He laid quietly with Sehun and listened to his deep breathing, cuddled up against him. He wondered how Sehun was going to act in the morning, how he would treat him now.

He knew Sehun thought of him as a friend, but beyond that he wasn't sure. Judging from Sehun's random act of passion and lack of control, he figured this came more from lust than his feelings. He doubted Sehun even understood what he was doing. The desire for sex is a strong force that is difficult for any man to ignore, especially someone like Sehun who never had to deal with these overwhelming hormones before. It made sense, Sehun was bound to start getting horny once his emotions came back.

After hours of spinning it over in his mind, Baekhyun made a conclusion. Baekhyun was the easiest person for Sehun to vent his pent up sexual tension on, that was all. There was no way Sehun had developed his emotions enough to establish complex feelings for him. Baekhyun was afraid to make it anything more than that, he couldn't let himself get his hopes up too high. He had to remind himself, Sehun was far from understanding what love was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! I hope the smut in this wasn't too shocking for some of you...I know it's been pretty fluffy for the last few chapters. As for the smut itself, I'm sure you already noticed, but this story doesn’t use any lube. I’m aware that’s not how it really works, but it was inconvenient for this story and really would have broken up some of the scenes awkwardly. Plus this was my first fic, so I hope you can understand why it was difficult for me to incorporate >.< Even at the time of writing I knew it was inaccurate but I couldn't think of a way to fix it without changing the feeling of the scene. I apologize if it's strange to read.
> 
> Credit to Moonharu for translating the Italian for me~ ♡


	25. Reassurance

Baekhyun was still awake when the sun had finally risen, his head comfortably resting on Sehun's chest. He knew it was getting close, close to the time Sehun would wake up. His stomach was starting to twist into knots, nervous about Sehun's reaction.

At last Sehun began stirring, moaning a little before moving slightly and yawning. He slowly opened his eyes and looked down at Baekhyun laying on his chest. Baekhyun was looking up at him, his eyes full of nervous anticipation.

Sehun's cheeks immediately colored, staring at Baekhyun as he remembered last night. The room was filled with light now, and Baekhyun's face was clearly visible. The moment of passion they shared in the dark was suddenly being illuminated, without the filter of lust.

It was just him and Baekhyun, laying in bed naked together. Baekhyun, the person that he had come to trust, the person that had opened him up and made him smile again, the person he had shared so many innocent memories with. And now, suddenly, it wasn't so innocent anymore. Their relationship could no longer be the way it was before, the way Sehun had become comfortable with. He had ripped himself out of his own comfort zone, and now he didn't know how to act.

He took a deep breath and looked away from Baekhyun, "...Baekhyun...about...last night...I lost control..."

Baekhyun paused, the answer he had been waiting for all night finally reaching him. He was right, Sehun didn't seem to understand the way he was feeling. Baekhyun released his held breath, he had been mentally preparing for this response. It was going to take time to help Sehun, he always knew that, and he was more than honored to take on the role.

He held onto Sehun's arm and started rubbing it, "It's ok Sehun, I understand."

Baekhyun could feel how heavily Sehun was breathing, and the nervous pounding of his heart. He continued staring at Sehun, waiting to see if he would ever look back at him.

"...You don't regret it, do you?"

Sehun swallowed deeply, "No."

Baekhyun moved his hand to lay on Sehun's chest, "Good."

Sehun took in a few more deep breaths, "...Baekhyun...I feel really embarrassed...I can't even look at you..."

Baekhyun smiled at him as he reached for Sehun's cheek, moving Sehun's head to look at him. Sehun stared into his eyes nervously, Baekhyun had never seen him look so vulnerable before.

"You don't need to be embarrassed, it's just me."

Sehun gulped again, continuing to stare into Baekhyun eyes. Baekhyun smiled gently as he lowered his hand.

"Someone once told me there's nothing wrong with acting on your emotions."

Sehun paused, blinking a few times as he thought about those words. He raised his arms and held onto Baekhyun tightly, needing a hug now more than ever. Baekhyun rested his head back down on Sehun's chest.

"No matter what happens I don't want a distance to grow between us. Thank you for telling me how you feel."

Sehun closed his eyes and squeezed Baekhyun. Baekhyun could tell he was still nervous, his chest was still rising with large breaths of air. He wondered if giving Sehun some personal space might benefit him for the time being. He squeezed Sehun before he sat up.

"We should start getting ready, we slept in."

Sehun nodded, his eyes glancing momentarily at Baekhyun's naked body. His cheeks flushed again, the vision of it a little overwhelming for him at the moment. Baekhyun crawled out of bed and made his way to the bathroom, giving Sehun time to come when he was ready.

He turned on the shower and felt the temperature of the water with his hands. He stood waiting for a few minutes, lost in thought and forgetting to check the water again. He was surprised when he saw Sehun's hand reach from behind him and feel the water.

"It takes a long time to get hot."

Baekhyun smiled, turning to look at Sehun behind him, "Yeah, so does mine."

Sehun only looked at him for a spilt second before he stared down at the floor, avoiding Baekhyun's eyes. Baekhyun took a deep breath, he was really scared Sehun was starting to build up another wall.

After a little while Baekhyun stepped into the shower, the temperature finally becoming comfortable. Sehun entered behind him, stepping close to Baekhyun in the small space. Baekhyun stood under the water, soaking his hair. He glanced over at Sehun to see that he was still looking at the floor. He suddenly turned his body to face Sehun, waiting a moment before speaking.

"...Sehun...Can you kiss me?"

Sehun looked up at him in surprise and Baekhyun tenderly smiled at him.

"It might make you feel better...I don't want you to build up a wall with me."

Sehun looked into his eyes for a long moment before staring down at Baekhyun's lips. Sehun repeated Baekhyun's words in his mind. Baekhyun was right, he did feel himself building up another wall. He didn't mean to, but he was. Of all the people in the world, Baekhyun was the last person he wanted to guard himself against.

Sehun took a few deep breaths before stepping closer to Baekhyun. Baekhyun closed his eyes and waited, he felt a familiar tug at his heart as Sehun gently press their lips together. Water trickled down their faces as they held the kiss, wetting their lips. Sehun slowly reached forward and held onto Baekhyun's waist, squeezing him as he released his nervous emotions into their kiss. As Sehun slowly pulled away, they both stared deeply into each other's eyes. Baekhyun smiled at him gently again.

"Better?"

Sehun licked his soaked lips, "...I think so."

Baekhyun stared at Sehun's face, unconvinced by the sound of Sehun's faltering voice. He raised his hands and wrapped them around Sehun's neck, "Here, kiss me again. Keep kissing me until you feel better."

Baekhyun felt Sehun squeeze his waist again, and watched as Sehun gulped nervously. Baekhyun closed his eyes and waited like before, and was once again rewarded with a kiss from Sehun. Sehun continued kissing him like he was instructed to, their lips easily slipping across each other due to the water falling down on them. Baekhyun pulled him closer, standing on his tip toes to reach Sehun better and add more passion into their kisses.

Sehun's nerves were slowly replaced by the familiar feeling of lust. He gripped onto Baekhyun tighter as he felt his heart rate increasing. Baekhyun could feel Sehun's kisses start heating up, he smiled as he backed away, not wanting to make the same mistake as before. He wanted Sehun to look at him, to stare into his eyes and be comfortable with the fact that he was kissing him.

"Better now?"

Sehun's gaze wandered away from Baekhyun's lips, up into his eyes. It put him at ease, looking at Baekhyun's smiling face. He found a familiar comfort in Baekhyun's eyes, a reassurance that he had unconsciously come to rely on.

"Yes."

Baekhyun's smile grew larger as he continued staring at Sehun in happiness. Sehun smiled back at him, feeling more and more comfortable as he looked upon Baekhyun's joyful expression. At last Baekhyun finally spoke, unlocking his arms from around Sehun's neck.

"We're going to be late."

Sehun nodded and let go of Baekhyun's waist. Baekhyun gave Sehun a flirtatious look before turning around to start washing off again. Sehun watched him closely, the expression on Baekhyun's face as he rubbed his hands through his own hair, his mouth slightly open as if he were experiencing some kind of pleasure from it. His eyes followed a bead of water as it trickled down Baekhyun's naked body. Sehun took a deep breath, the arousal he felt from their previous kisses had yet to fade, and the vision before him was only making it stronger.

They took turns standing under the water, and Baekhyun also abused the chance to stare at Sehun. Baekhyun bit down on his lip the entire time he looked at him, overjoyed with the memories of how it felt when Sehun was inside him. He still couldn't believe it, the fact that they had slept together.

Once they got out of the shower, they tried their best to rush and get dressed. As Baekhyun finished putting on his tie, he looked at the time on his phone.

"I'll be right back, I'll go quickly grab something from my fridge for breakfast."

Baekhyun stood up and started making his way towards the door. Sehun looked up at him as he finished tightening his own tie.

"Baekhyun."

Baekhyun stopped moving and turned around to look at Sehun, Sehun was staring at him with such a serious expression.

"You should move in with me."

Baekhyun froze, his mind broken by those words. He silently gawked at Sehun, his mouth slightly open as his words failed to come out. Sehun noticed him stalling and decided to explain more.

"It's pointless to have separate rooms. We spend so much time together anyway, and you only really leave to cook for me."

Baekhyun finally closed his lips and swallowed, refreshing his dried mouth, "Ok."

He briefly wondered if Sehun understood the weight of his words, but he doubted Sehun was aware how big of a step that was in a relationship. Not that they were really in a relationship, Baekhyun wasn't even sure what their status was at this point. However, no matter what Sehun thought of it, the fact remained: they were going to share a bed and sleep together every night. Baekhyun blushed at the thought, realizing what that possibly meant.  
  
  


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Sehun and Baekhyun sat in class together, neither one of them able to pay attention to what the teacher was saying. Her words garbled in their minds, tuned out by the sea of their thoughts. Sehun was still in a riled up mood, his thoughts concentrated on the memory of their previous night together. The sound of Baekhyun's moans and pleasurable screaming repeated in his mind as he recalled the feeling of thrusting inside him. He wanted to hear it again, Baekhyun's voice as he responded to the way Sehun made him feel.

Sehun looked over at Baekhyun, wishing to imagine it while looking at Baekhyun's face. Baekhyun looked back at him, a flirtatious smile growing on his face. Sehun smiled as well and reached over to hold Baekhyun's leg, getting a small amount of aggression out just by squeezing it. Baekhyun bit his lip as he raised his hand to start caressing Sehun's back underneath his jacket. His hand occasionally bumped into Sehun's gun holster, which only aroused him more.

They finally snapped back to reality once the bell rang. They walked out of the room together and Baekhyun stopped in the hallway like usual to talk to Sehun before they had to part ways.

"I'll see you in third period."

Without a word Sehun suddenly grabbed his wrist and started dragging Baekhyun in the opposite direction he usually walked off in. Baekhyun's heart started racing, too stunned to ask Sehun what he was doing.

Sehun entered the nearest bathroom, the sound of the door closing behind them the only noise in the empty room. He pulled Baekhyun into a stall with him and stared down at Baekhyun with clear lust in his expression as he closed the door, trapping them both inside. Baekhyun had spent his entire morning trying to calm Sehun down, but now he was the one feeling nervous. He should have learned by now, if he gave Sehun permission to do something, Sehun was really going to do it.

Sehun pushed Baekhyun against the stall wall and started kissing him, simultaneously pulling at Baekhyun's jacket. Baekhyun turned his head to break their lips apart, and Sehun instantly trailed off to start kissing his neck.

"Wait, Sehun...We'll get dirty..."

Sehun took a sharp breath, his eyes fixated on Baekhyun, "I can't concentrate. I don't know how people handle this. I need something, anything."

That's when Baekhyun realized, he had awoken a savage beast. He took a nervous breath as Sehun started kissing on his neck again. Sehun tongue occasionally got a taste of Baekhyun's skin, he loved the way it tasted, and started to suck on his flesh. Baekhyun winced from the slight pain it caused him, he could feel his blood rising to the surface from the strong force Sehun was using to suck on him.

The bell suddenly rang, signifying that passing period was over. Baekhyun bit on his lip, raising his hands to hold onto Sehun as he continued sucking on him. It looked like Baekhyun was going to miss science class, and he could really care less. Baekhyun pried Sehun away to look at his face, Sehun licked his lips as he stared back at him.

"...There is something I can do for you."

Sehun watched as Baekhyun reached forward and grabbed the button of his pants. After unfastening it, Baekhyun snuck his hands into his fly and pinched onto the zipper, pulling it down slowly. Sehun took a deep breath, feeling Baekhyun's hand trail across his erection. Baekhyun sunk down to the floor in the small amount of space he had trapped against the wall, and Sehun backed away to give him more space. Baekhyun gulped as he pulled Sehun out, it was the first time he had touched him with his hand, he could feel him throbbing.

Sehun stared down at Baekhyun and watched as he leaned forward, slowly placing his mouth on Sehun's head. Sehun moaned deeply, enjoying the sight of going inside Baekhyun's mouth. Baekhyun wasn't adventurous enough to handle more yet. He stayed with Sehun just barely in his mouth, and started stroking his tongue gently on the tip of Sehun's penis. Sehun grabbed onto Baekhyun, squeezing him tightly as he let out another lusty moan.

Baekhyun took Sehun out of his mouth and then began trailing up his penis with his tongue, licking him from the base all the way to the head. When he reached the head he closed his mouth around it and sucked on it as he pulled it out of his mouth. Sehun inhaled through his clenched teeth as he moaned, watching Baekhyun's every movement.

Baekhyun's heart throbbed, he wondered if he would ever get used to it, doing stuff like this with Sehun. It made his chest tighten, thinking about Sehun before all this. He certainly never imaged they would get to this point. To think that Baekhyun was a prince, and there he was, kneeling on the floor in the stall of a public bathroom, sucking on a man of no high rank. But Baekhyun thought of it differently, Sehun was of the highest rank in Baekhyun's mind. He felt privileged to do anything with Sehun, he worshipped and adored him.

Baekhyun placed a gentle kiss on Sehun's head, and began to slowly move around to plant more soft kisses as he held onto him. He could hear Sehun's heavy breathing, his throbbing was getting more intense, it didn't seem like he could handle much more. Baekhyun closed his eyes and extended his tongue to find Sehun's head. He slid his mouth down Sehun's shaft, putting as much length as Baekhyun was comfortable with fitting inside his mouth. Baekhyun swallowed as he sucked on him, creating a tight suction around Sehun.

Sehun grunted loudly, squeezing on Baekhyun tightly as Baekhyun began moving Sehun up and down in his mouth, still tightly sucking on him. Sehun suddenly grabbed Baekhyun, shoving himself deeper into Baekhyun's mouth. Baekhyun moaned a little in surprise, creating an even further feeling of pleasure for Sehun as his voice vibrated on him. Sehun let out a lusty moan, Baekhyun could feel Sehun tense up, and prepared himself to swallow. Sehun gripped onto Baekhyun even tighter as he made a deep groan, unloading inside Baekhyun's mouth.

Baekhyun gulped, swallowing as much as he could. He backed away and wiped the rest off his mouth, licking it off his hand. Sehun stared down at him, breathing heavily as he relaxed against the wall. He took one large breath as he brushed his hand through his hair, gripping onto a large handful.

Baekhyun slowly stood up, staring at Sehun shyly as he did so. Sehun let his arm fall to his side, still breathing heavily. They stared at each other for a moment, communicating with their eyes. It was easy to understand, they both immensely enjoyed that moment, finding it extremely sexy.

Sehun reached down and tucked himself back in, zipping up his pants. Baekhyun helped tuck in his shirt, stepping closer to him to reach around his back. Sehun stared down at Baekhyun's face, admiring him as Baekhyun finished adjusting his clothes.

Sehun opened the stall door, and they both stepped out together. The door to the bathroom suddenly opened as they were exiting the stall, and they both paused as they caught sight of Kyungsoo walking towards them, a hall pass in his hands. Kyungsoo stopped moving once he spotted them as well.

"...Hey Do." Baekhyun nervously greeted him.

Being the observant person Kyungsoo was, it didn't take him long to notice the hickey on Baekhyun's neck. His eyes widened a little, putting the pieces together in his mind. He stared over at Sehun in astonishment, it didn't make sense. Sehun looked back at him as expressionless as usual, no hint in his eyes about what may have happened a moment ago. The only indication that something was off was his disheveled hair, it was usually styled so perfectly.

"...Hey." He answered slowly, looking back at Baekhyun suspiciously.

Baekhyun nervously smiled and started to shove Sehun towards the door, "Sorry, we're late for class. Talk to you later!"

Kyungsoo watched them closely as they left together, his mind filled with riddles. He was going to have to question Baekhyun later about this.  
  
  


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"What the hell were you doing with Oh in the bathroom?"

Baekhyun laughed, barely even getting to their table in Home Ec before getting interrogated by Kyungsoo.

"Ok so, honestly I've been dying to tell somebody about this."

Baekhyun sat down in his seat as Kyungsoo continued staring at him. Baekhyun scooted closer to Kyungsoo, waving his hand to indicate to Kyungsoo that he wanted to whisper to him. Kyungsoo leaned over so Baekhyun could speak into his ear.

"We had sex."

Kyungsoo backed away and looked at Baekhyun in shock, "In the bathroom?!"

Baekhyun waved his hands, panicked at how loudly Kyungsoo responded. Kyungsoo took a deep breath, realizing he had risen the volume of his voice. He leaned back closer to Baekhyun to continue whispering.

"No, last night we did. He's been kind of losing control though, I had to give him oral in the bathroom to calm him down."

Kyungsoo stared at him for a long moment, he had no answer to Baekhyun's words. Baekhyun sighed happily to himself, thinking of Sehun.

"...It was so hot."

"But he's so disconnected...How did that even happen?"

"I've been helping him...I guess you could say we had a breakthrough." Baekhyun smiled.

"Does he like you?"

Baekhyun paused, his eyes dimmed a little, "Well...I'm not sure. I think he might be a little confused right now."

Kyungsoo gave him a stern expression, "This sounds dangerous."

Baekhyun shook his head, "Everything is fine, don't worry. Sehun isn't like normal people. I just have to be patient."

Kyungsoo still wasn't aware of Sehun's past, he didn't understand what exactly was going on. He was really worried about Baekhyun, he was his friend, he didn't want to see him get hurt.

"Don't let him use you. You need to get an answer from him."

"I don't want to rush things. Look, I promise I know what I'm doing."

Kyungsoo shook his head, he was extremely doubtful about this. He was already preparing himself to help Baekhyun through his mental trauma.

"You know you have a hickey on your neck, right?"

Baekhyun quickly raised his hand to cover his neck, "Do I?!"

Kyungsoo sighed, "Yeah, you need to cover that up, the teachers will see."  
  
  


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Their first class after lunch was Health. Sehun, Baekhyun and Kyungsoo all had this class together. Kyungsoo glared over at Sehun as he entered the room with Baekhyun, becoming increasingly protective of his friend. Baekhyun smiled over at Kyungsoo as he sat down next to Sehun, trying to communicate that everything was ok. Kyungsoo continued glaring, letting Baekhyun know it was not ok.

The teacher started speaking once the bell rang, "I have been requested by someone in the class to talk about oral sex today. I agreed, since this topic is very important."

Baekhyun opened his mouth in slight shock and looked over at Kyungsoo again, having a strong feeling Kyungsoo was the one who requested it. Kyungsoo merely continued glaring back at him, affirming Baekhyun's accusation.

"A lot of people think oral sex is fun. It can help 'spice up' a relationship. Of course at your young age I would hope you all would refrain from participating in this activity. However, it's my job to help educate you and prepare you for these things, no matter what point along the road of your life you choose to do them."

Baekhyun and Sehun both tensed up at the teachers words, feeling incredibly awkward. It was even worse that they were sitting right next to each other.

"There are two main types of oral sex. Sometimes a couple will engage in both of them at the same time. Oral sex given to a woman by her partner, whether male or female, is called 'cunnilingus'. Oral sex given to a man by his partner, again female or male, is generally termed fellatio, though strictly speaking this word only covers the type of oral caress in which the penis actually enters the partner's mouth."

Sehun took a deep breath, even he realized how uncomfortable this situation was. Baekhyun slowly shifted in his seat, unconsciously doing anything to help cope with the awkward atmosphere.

"The word fellatio really means putting your partner's penis in your mouth. But women or men who are skilled lovers will also go in for such techniques as kissing the penis and licking it."

Sehun glanced over at Baekhyun in surprise and Baekhyun lowered his head in embarrassment, his cheeks burning red.

"Having a penis enter your mouth can be a bit of a shock for an inexperienced lover. The man should take great care not to 'ram' his organ hard into his partner's mouth. This can cause great discomfort and even gagging."

Baekhyun continued looking downward, and started to whip his forehead with his hand uncomfortably, again fidgeting in an attempt to distract his mind.

"If you're giving oral, it's important you realize that there's something primitive in the male psyche that gives him a strong desire to 'discharge' his seed inside you. So the curious fact is that a lot of men actually want to reach a climax inside your mouth. And some of them desperately want you to then swallow their semen."

Baekhyun took a deep breath and sunk down into his seat, really wishing he could disappear.

"Some men get resentful or feel rejected if you do not agree to let them ejaculate in your mouth, or if you refuse to swallow. If you're giving oral, don't let yourself be pressured into doing something that you don't want to. And if you're a man, please don't try and blackmail your partner into letting you ejaculate inside their mouth."

Sehun glanced over at Baekhyun again, slowly understanding just how much Baekhyun had done for him. He could tell Baekhyun was extremely embarrassed at the moment, slowly sinking more and more in his seat.

Kyungsoo watched Baekhyun and Sehun the entire time, taking note of how uncomfortable they were. It was exactly the reaction he wanted, forcing them to reflect on the weight of their actions. He hoped Baekhyun had learned a lesson, that he might take it more seriously now.

Once class was over, which felt like an eternity to Baekhyun, Sehun and Baekhyun walked together down the hallway. Sehun could tell Baekhyun was still feeling uncomfortable, but Sehun was in a different mood. He wrapped his hand around Baekhyun's waist under his blazer, pulling him closer to himself as they continued walking. Baekhyun's heart pounded at Sehun's sudden touch, his feeling amplified by his already nervous state.

"Baekhyun...I learned a lot today."

Baekhyun turned to look at him in surprise and Sehun looked down at him with an honest expression in his eyes.

"...I didn't realize you were doing so much for me...Thank you."

Baekhyun smiled, his nerves settling at Sehun's words. He snuggled closer to Sehun, wrapping his arm around Sehun as well and holding onto his gun holster under his blazer.

"You're really good at it."

Baekhyun bit on his lip as he smirked at Sehun, nudging him a little with his body, "Thanks."

Sehun took a deep breath, "No, thank you."

Baekhyun laughed and squeezed him. Sehun squeezed him back, taking a deep nervous breath.

"...Did I make you uncomfortable when I shoved it in your mouth?"

Baekhyun smiled and caressed his back a little, "No, it was fine. Thanks for asking though."

Kyungsoo spotted them both walking together from a distance. His jaw dropped a little, seeing them still being so intimate together. That was not what he was hoping for.


	26. Side by Side

Baekhyun placed the picture frame Sehun had given him onto the kitchen table, the photo of them smiling together now placed inside. Baekhyun smiled at it tenderly as he adjusted it to the perfect angle. He spent a moment staring at it, admiring all that it stood for.

Sehun noticed him staring and came over to look at it. He smiled once he spotted the picture inside.

"You used the frame."

Baekhyun turned to look at him, still tenderly smiling, "Of course, I used it right away. It's the perfect decoration for our table, don't you think?"

Sehun had just finished helping Baekhyun move all of his possessions into his room, which mostly consisted of kitchen gadgets and clothes. They were officially roommates, and Baekhyun had consciously decided the last thing to be placed in Sehun's room would be the framed picture.

"Yeah, I like it there."

Baekhyun and Sehun sat down on the couch together, resting after the tiring effort of moving everything. Sehun closed his eyes and rested his head back. Baekhyun looked over at him and smiled.

"I have something new to do on the list."

"What?" Sehun asked as he rolled his head to look at him.

"Well, I thought we could get a part time job. Neither of us has worked before. People consider it an important part of growing up. We won't have to keep it for long, just a few days to get the feeling."

Sehun nodded, "Ok."

Baekhyun took out his phone and scooted closer to Sehun so he could see, "Let's fill out some applications. I already have the place in mind."

As Baekhyun typed on his phone, Sehun's eyes wandered to Baekhyun's neck and noticed the red mark on it. He paused staring at it, realizing he was the one who had given it to Baekhyun. He smiled to himself, he kind of liked that he had left a mark on Baekhyun.

Baekhyun used their code names and faked the majority of their information, it was something they were both used to doing. Baekhyun tried his best not to laugh as he was filling it out, Sehun had no idea where Baekhyun had decided they were going to work. He couldn't help it, if they were going to work somewhere, Baekhyun wanted to abuse the opportunity. He couldn't wait.

After eating dinner, Baekhyun and Sehun made their way into the bedroom. Sehun began changing into some more comfortable clothes, and Baekhyun stared at his face, trying to analyze what mood Sehun was in. He noticed Sehun hadn't been horny ever since their little incident in the bathroom that day. He wondered if Sehun's lust had been satiated for the time being.

It seemed that Baekhyun was right. After Sehun finished changing he climbed into bed and closed his eyes. Baekhyun climbed in as well, smiling as he crawled over close to Sehun and laid down next to him. Sehun continued closing his eyes as he wrapped his arm around Baekhyun, pulling him a little closer.

"Are you tired?" Baekhyun asked as he stared at him.

Sehun nodded. Baekhyun snuggled up close to him, still smiling happily. It had been a long day, he was also tired despite how early in the night it was. They laid together silently and quickly slipped off to sleep, intoxicated by the warmth from each other's body. Baekhyun was looking forward to falling asleep like this every night.  
  
  


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In the morning it was Baekhyun who woke up first. He tightly squeezed Sehun before bouncing up, waking Sehun with his energetic movement.

"Good morning!" Baekhyun smiled, hovering over Sehun and staring down at him in excitement.

Sehun smiled back at him, his expression still a little groggy and his eyes only half open, "...Good morning."

Baekhyun giggled before jumping out of bed, making his way to the bathroom. He entered the room and went over to the sink to start brushing his teeth. He paused as he reached for his toothbrush. He lowered his hand, spending a moment staring at their toothbrushes propped up inside a cup together. The vision of it really affected Baekhyun, it was such a simple thing yet it symbolized so much. They were side by side, sharing that cup together.

Baekhyun reached for his toothbrush and pulled it out once Sehun entered the room. Sehun stood next to Baekhyun, his expression still looked tired and his hair was a mess. Baekhyun smiled as he stared at him in the mirror, he had only seen Sehun in such a sloppy state a few times.

Sehun reached for his toothbrush as well, grabbing the toothpaste to squirt it on. After loading up his own, he started to squeeze some on Baekhyun's toothbrush. Baekhyun smiled as he held it out for him.

They ended up staring at each other in the mirror as they brushed their teeth, and they both smiled seeing each other in such a humorous way. Baekhyun giggled a little as he tightly clenched his teeth together and swiped his toothbrush back and forth across them quickly, causing his mouth to foam up. Sehun tried not to laugh, not wanting to accidentally spit.

After rinsing out their mouths, Baekhyun smiled as he placed his toothbrush back inside the cup next to Sehun's. As he paused staring at it again, Sehun reached for the hairbrush. He gently grabbed Baekhyun's shoulders and positioned him to face himself. Baekhyun went to grab the hairbrush, figuring Sehun wanted him to style his hair, but Sehun raised the brush away from him. Baekhyun stared at him in surprise as Sehun started to comb the brush through Baekhyun's soft black hair.

Sehun brushed his hair gently, taking his time to comb all of it. Baekhyun tenderly smiled at him, blushing a little from being treated so affectionately. Eventually Sehun put down the brush and started to fluff Baekhyun's hair with his hands, moving it around until it looked the way Sehun was used to. Baekhyun's head tingled from Sehun's fingers running through his hair, he closed his eyes and wiggled a few times from the shiver it sent him.

Sehun delicately brushed his fingers into Baekhyun's bangs to arrange it in the right place. Baekhyun could feel Sehun's fingers skimming his forehead as Sehun meticulously worked on his hair. Baekhyun opened his eyes once he no longer felt Sehun's touch and looked over at the mirror. It was exactly the way Baekhyun liked to style it, even the direction he swooped it in. He had no idea Sehun had paid attention to such a small detail as that.

Sehun watched Baekhyun curiously as his eyes began to slightly water. He reached out to grab Baekhyun's arm in concern.

"Baekhyun, what's wrong?"

Baekhyun slowly turned to look over at Sehun, "...You know exactly how I like my hair."

Sehun paused, realizing it couldn't have been a bad thing, "...Are these happy tears?"

Baekhyun nodded, "Yes. You pay so much attention to me, it makes me happy."

Sehun smiled and raised his hand to wipe Baekhyun's tears, Baekhyun smiled back at him and also raised his hand to wipe his eyes.

"Sorry, let's finish getting ready."  
  
  


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Sehun stared up at the building they were going to work at once Baekhyun had pointed it out to him. The first thing he noticed was the excess amount of pink. It had a large sign with the name of the cafe, accompanied by an adorable rabbit wearing an apron. Outside there were a few tables, all of which had flowers placed in the center, and chairs that were shaped like rabbit heads.

Sehun followed Baekhyun inside silently, feeling uncomfortable in this atmosphere. Baekhyun pressed his lips together, trying not to break out laughing. He couldn't wait to see Sehun wearing the uniform.

Sehun looked around at the waitresses (the presence of waiters noticeably lacking) and quickly took note of the pink aprons they were wearing, decorated with frilly lace and a rabbit head emblem on the chest. Adorned atop all of their heads was an animal ear headband, each girl had a different one. He continued to analyze the overly adorable cafe as Baekhyun talked to the manager. Baekhyun received their uniforms, and Sehun stepped closer to look at them. It was a pink button up shirt, black pants, plain pink aprons with the same rabbit emblem, and a headband. One puppy, one cat.

Sehun took his uniform from Baekhyun and shot him an unhappy expression. Baekhyun laughed and leaned in to whisper to him.

"I thought you didn't care about other people's opinions?"

"Yeah, but I care about my own."

Baekhyun laughed again as he pulled Sehun off in the direction of the employee bathrooms. They both started changing, and Baekhyun smirked to himself as he noticed Sehun tuck a small pistol into his pants.

Baekhyun stood on his tip toes and tossed the apron over Sehun's neck, smiling happily as he stared at him wearing it. Sehun grabbed Baekhyun's apron and put it on him as well, helping to tie it behind his back. Baekhyun placed the puppy headband on Sehun's head, and giggled at the sight of it.

As he went to take a picture, Sehun reached for the cat headband and placed it on Baekhyun. Baekhyun smiled and flipped the camera to take a picture of them both. Baekhyun raised his hand and bent it like a cat.

"Ready?"

Sehun nodded, his ears jiggling as he did so, and Baekhyun giggled as he took the photo.  
  
  


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"Can I get your order?"

The young female students all looked up from their menu, broken from their concentration by Sehun's deep voice. They all blushed upon looking at his face, speechless in the presence of a tall attractive man. One of the girls giggled and whispered to her friends, Sehun watched them with his usual blank expression, wondering what was taking them so long to answer.

"We can't decide...What do you recommend?" The girl asked in a flirtatious manner, flicking her hair over her shoulder.

Sehun quickly turned to look over at Baekhyun. Baekhyun was busy taking an order, Sehun paused watching him waiting for a good moment to get his attention. The girls stared at Sehun curiously, confused what he was doing.

"Baekhyun." Sehun shouted in a quiet voice, not wanting to draw too much attention.

Baekhyun didn't hear him over the sound of clanking silverware and small chatter. Sehun turned his body to face Baekhyun more.

"Baekhyun!"

Baekhyun caught the sound of Sehun's voice and turned to look at him in surprise. Sehun waved his hand a little once they made eye contact.

"Baek come here."

Baekhyun's eyes lit up hearing Sehun call him by a nickname. He smiled as he turned to look at the table he was waiting on.

"I'm sorry, just a moment. We're new here."

Baekhyun continued smiling as he walked over to Sehun, once again admiring the uniform he was wearing, "What is it?"

The girls took one short look at Baekhyun before they started giggling and whispering to each other again, "Oh my God we need to come here more often, the guys here are so hot!"

"They want to know a recommendation." Sehun explained as he stared down at Baekhyun.

Baekhyun bit his lip smiling at Sehun for a moment before turning to the girls and grabbing one of their menus. He started flipping through it as the girls stared at him blushing. As Baekhyun was searching, one of the girls noticed the hickey on his neck and opened her mouth in surprise. She secretly nudged her friends and pointed at it, and her friends also stared at it in shock.

Baekhyun pointed at an item on the menu, "The soup here is really yummy."

"Thanks! We'll have that then!"

Sehun looked at the menu and started to write down their order. Baekhyun turned to Sehun and smiled at him, watching him for a moment as he finished writing it down.

"Need anything else?"

"No. Thanks."

Baekhyun could feel the girls watching them, and decided to make something clear to them. Baekhyun stood on his tip toes and leaned forward to place a gentle peck on Sehun's cheek. The girl's made a small audible gasp as they watched them.

"Call me again if you need anything."

Sehun nodded, unfazed by Baekhyun's romantic gesture. Baekhyun smirked to himself as he turned around and walked off. Sehun tucked his notepad away in his pocket and started to collect their menus.

"Is that your boyfriend?"

Sehun paused, unsure how to answer. He hadn't really thought about how to define their relationship yet. He knew the word boyfriends wasn't exactly correct, he realized that required them to be in love, or at least some kind of emotional attachment beyond friendship. Sehun wasn't sure what exactly he felt towards Baekhyun yet. There was only one way Sehun could think of putting it into words.

"He's mine."

The girls opened their mouths again in shock as Sehun walked off. They all leaned in close together to whisper.

"...Oh my god...We really do need to come here more often..."  
  
  


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Chanyeol and Kyungsoo were out together, walking through downtown looking for a place to eat. It was not on a date, as Chanyeol made sure to stress again, but both of them were secretly thinking of it that way. Chanyeol nervously stared down at Kyungsoo's hand, trying to muster the courage to reach for it. He moved his hand close, and watched Kyungsoo's hand sway back and forth as they walked. He started to reach, but stopped once Kyungsoo suddenly spoke up and pointed his hand.

"Is that Byun?"

Chanyeol looked up and spotted Baekhyun waiting on a table, wearing a pink apron and cat headband. Baekhyun was smiling brightly, taking down the tables order.

"...Yeah, what is he doing working?"

"I don't know, he has plenty of money."

Chanyeol and Kyungsoo decided to get a table, and hoped Baekhyun would be their waiter so they could talk to him. They picked up the menu and laughed as they looked around, they were the only guys there. As they analyzed the food options, Sehun approached them and stared at them for a moment, recognizing their faces. Kyungsoo suddenly noticed him and looked up in surprise.

"Oh?"

Chanyeol looked up curiously at hearing the name, and stared over at Sehun in disbelief. They all ended up staring at each other silently for a moment before Kyungsoo spoke again.

"...Are you working here?"

"Yes."

"Is Byun working here with you?"

Sehun turned to look for Baekhyun, watching the large crowd of people for a moment. Baekhyun eventually walked near him and Sehun grabbed onto his shirt. Baekhyun stopped and smiled up at him.

"Need something?"

Sehun looked back over at Chanyeol and Kyungsoo, assuming Baekhyun would follow his eyes. Baekhyun's smile grew larger as he spotted them both.

"Hey guys!"

"What are you doing working here?" Kyungsoo asked.

"It's fun. Have you guys been here before?"

"No this is our first time."

Baekhyun turned to look at another table, still balancing a tray of food on his hand, "Sorry, I need to keep working. I'll talk to you later!"

Baekhyun looked up at Sehun and smiled before he walked away. Sehun smiled back at him before turning to the table again.

He held up his notepad, "Can I take your order?"

Chanyeol couldn't help but laugh, even Kyungsoo laughed a little.

"That apron looks cute on you." Chanyeol chocked a laugh as he held his fist in front of his face.

Sehun glared up at him, not appreciating the joke, "Do you know what you want?"

"We haven't decided yet." Chanyeol continued struggling to hold back his laughter.

Sehun put his notepad away and walked off without a word. Chanyeol burst out into loud laughter once he was gone, watching Sehun walk off in his pink apron, his ears bouncing with each step. Kyungsoo also laughed as he lightly slapped Chanyeol's arm, trying to make him stop even though he was amused by it as well.

"How did Byun get him to work here?" Chanyeol asked with tears in his eyes.

Kyungsoo took a deep breath, finally stopping his own laughter, "I don't know, their relationship is kind of odd."

"Odd?"

Kyungsoo licked his lips nervously, "...Yeah...Apparently they've slept together...At least that's what Byun told me."

Chanyeol's eyes widened, "What?!"

Kyungsoo nodded, "...I know...I can't see it either. I don't get it."

Chanyeol looked back over at Sehun as he was waiting on a table. Chanyeol hadn't talked to Sehun much, even less than Kyungsoo considering the time Kyungsoo spent undercover working with Sehun. All he knew was that Sehun was incredibly good at fighting, and incredibly quiet.

"I've never even seen him smile..." Kyungsoo continued, "...The only proof I have is that hickey on Byun's neck."

Chanyeol laughed in surprise, "Hickey? You're trying to tell me Oh gave Byun a hickey?"

"Yeah...I kind of caught them in the bathroom together..."

Chanyeol shook his head and laughed to himself. He couldn't help but notice the irony of the situation. Of all people, Sehun had made better progress in his romantic efforts than he had. Here Chanyeol was failing to even hold Kyungsoo's hand, and Sehun had already made it to third base.  
  
  


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Sehun watched as Baekhyun organized some silverware, wrapping them inside napkins. The rush hour had died down and there wasn't much to do. Sehun was suppose to be helping Baekhyun, but he had become mesmerized by the vision of Baekhyun standing next to him. His lust was returning, the satisfaction from the other day was finally wearing off, and the memory of that moment was still fresh in his mind. The more they did together, the more Sehun desired to experience it again.

He stared at Baekhyun's mouth, watching as his tongue darted out occasionally to wet his lips, "How much longer is our shift?"

Baekhyun turned to look at him, "Ummm, I think we get off at six."

Sehun suddenly grabbed Baekhyun's hand and started pulling him off. Baekhyun looked around a little panicked, worried that someone might see them. Sehun went to the most private place he could think of, the walk-in cooler. Once they were inside, Sehun locked the door. It was dark, Baekhyun could barely see Sehun ripping off his apron and headband, throwing them onto the floor.

Sehun quickly grabbed Baekhyun's shoulders and shoved him against the shelves. Baekhyun's heart pounded as he stared at Sehun's face, his eyes focused on him so intensely. Sehun leaned forward to kiss Baekhyun, holding onto him tightly as their lips continuously met. They went slowly, their hot breath escaping into each other's mouths as their lips skimmed up and down. Their heated panting created puffs of air in front of their faces, materializing from the cold air in the room. Baekhyun reached up and started to massage Sehun's hair, tugging at it with each pass of their lips. Sehun's hands slid down Baekhyun's shoulders and reached behind his back. He pulled him close as he snuck his hand down Baekhyun's pants, squeezing his butt tightly as they locked together in a smoldering kiss. Baekhyun moaned and moved his hands as well, also desiring to touch Sehun's body. He reached forward and grabbed Sehun's crotch, tightening his hand around Sehun's erection. Sehun bit Baekhyun's lip and squeezed his butt again, his erection getting harder from Baekhyun's grip.

He removed his hand from Baekhyun's pants to reach for his own, unzipping them as he stepped backwards. Baekhyun breathed heavily as he remained collapsed against the shelves, watching Sehun as he looked back at him with such a possessive stare. Baekhyun slowly pushed himself to stand and swallowed deeply, still connecting eyes with Sehun. Baekhyun knew what he wanted. He removed his apron, not wanting it to get dirty as he kneeled on the floor.

Baekhyun was feeling a little more adventurous this time, since he was also in a riled up mood. He went over to Sehun and slowly knelt down in front of him, staring into Sehun's eyes with a seductive expression. Sehun took a deep breath and smirked back at him, getting even more aroused by the way Baekhyun was looking at him.

Baekhyun licked his lips as he reached for Sehun's erection, slowly wrapping his fingers around it to hold it in front of his face. Baekhyun wanted to try and give Sehun an even better experience this time, knowing that Sehun still loved it despite how nervous he was before. Baekhyun wasn't feeling nervous at all at the moment, he was anxious to make Sehun feel good, anxious to give him the pleasure he felt he deserved.

He looked up at Sehun again, smirking a little as he brought his penis to his mouth. He started to lightly skim Sehun's head across his lips, tracing his own mouth as he continued locking his gaze with Sehun. Sehun was barely breathing, mesmerized by Baekhyun's expression. Baekhyun slowly opened his mouth and dragged his penis across his bottom lip, pulling it down. He extended his tongue to greet Sehun's head and began lightly tracing around the rim with the tip of his tongue. Sehun grunted as he reached for Baekhyun's hair, diving his fingers into his locks and gripping onto them tightly.

Baekhyun moaned quietly as he closed his mouth around Sehun, sucking on his head. He slipped Sehun deeper inside, moving up his shaft slowly and pressing his tongue hard against the bottom of his penis. Sehun ground his teeth as he let out a shaking breath, his eyes fixated on the sight of Baekhyun's mouth wrapped around him, and his small delicate hand gripping onto him.

Baekhyun moved his penis up and down slowly inside his mouth, his tongue still pressing against him, and a groan escaped from Sehun's clenched teeth. Baekhyun slowly pulled Sehun out of his mouth and dragged his tongue back and forth on his penis as he moved. Sehun jolted a little in pleasure each time his tongue skimmed across him.

Baekhyun paused for a moment to catch his breath as he continued to work Sehun with his hand, barely using any pressure. His hand slipped across Sehun's damp skin easily, making a wet sound as he moved. Baekhyun kept his face close, and Sehun could feel his breath on him. He clenched his teeth together hard, the temptation of Baekhyun to suck on him again growing stronger with each puff of air that teased him.

Suddenly Baekhyun shoved Sehun inside his mouth again, sucking on him hard and fast. Sehun moaned loudly, tensing up from the pleasure his body was desperately longing for. Baekhyun was caught a little off guard, not fully prepared for Sehun to finish yet. He swallowed as much as he could, but some of it dripped out of his mouth and landed on his shirt. Baekhyun slowly pulled Sehun out of his mouth, trying to get as much off as he could with one long suck. Sehun panted as Baekhyun licked him a few times, trying his best to get every drop. Sehun watched Baekhyun as he swallowed again, wiping off his face and staring down at his shirt.

Baekhyun rolled his head forward as he breathed heavily, Sehun watched as he bit down hard on his lip. Baekhyun still needed attention himself, Sehun suddenly realized that fact once he noticed Baekhyun's erection. It dawned on him that he had been ignoring Baekhyun's needs.

Baekhyun swallowed again and slowly stood up, Sehun stepped closer to him and held onto him, helping him gain balance. Baekhyun let his head fall forward to rest on Sehun's chest.

"...Baekhyun...I'm sorry."

Baekhyun shook his head, "It's ok, my apron will cover it."

"No, not that." Sehun sighed, "You've done so much for me...and I've been ignoring you..."

Baekhyun smiled, he didn't expect Sehun to even notice. He backed away to look at Sehun's face.

"It's all right Sehun, I'll just go in the bathroom."

Sehun looked deeply into his eyes, "Baekhyun...I don't know when..." He paused, trying to think of the right words, "...When I'll be ready for that."

Baekhyun gently smiled at him, realizing that Sehun must have been referring to the oral, "I understand, don't worry about it Sehun. I don't expect anything more from you."

Sehun looked down, still feeling bad about it. He decided he needed to make it up to Baekhyun. Even if he wasn't ready to do anything with Baekhyun's penis yet, he remembered how much Baekhyun enjoyed their sex.

Baekhyun reached forward and started to fix Sehun's clothes and hair, continuing to smile at him. He placed his apron around his neck and Sehun began to tie it. Baekhyun put his own apron back on, making sure it indeed covered the soiled spot.

"I'll cover you while you sneak to the bathroom."

Baekhyun laughed, "Thanks."  
  
  


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As Baekhyun collected his tip on his last table of the day, he looked at the window and noticed tiny specks of water landing on the glass. Baekhyun stepped closer to get a better look outside, looking up at the sky. Dark grey clouds loomed over the city, devouring the sun and making the hour much darker than it usually was. Baekhyun watched as people began to pull out their umbrellas, responding to the increase of raindrops falling down on them. Baekhyun had checked the weather that morning, but this wasn't on the forecast. He hadn't brought an umbrella with them.

After Sehun and Baekhyun had changed back into their normal clothes, they approached the door together and peered out at the heavy rainfall. Puddles of water had already accumulated in the streets, reflecting the vibrant hues of the traffic lights that now served as an illumination to the city, abandoned by the moon under the blanket of the storm clouds. Hardly anyone was walking outside, already finding shelter from the rain somewhere warm inside.

"...It's not stopping...I guess we're just going to get wet."

Sehun looked down at Baekhyun and thought for a moment. Without warning, he suddenly picked Baekhyun up, holding onto his butt as he held Baekhyun in front of himself. Baekhyun stared at Sehun's face in surprise as Sehun handed him his jacket.

"Here, hold this over our heads."

Baekhyun smiled tenderly at him and then nodded as he grabbed the jacket. He raised his arms to drape the jacket over their heads, making sure Sehun still had vision in front of him. Sehun opened the door and walked outside, holding Baekhyun close to his body.

_"Please keep raining...Pleeeassse."_ Baekhyun begged for a moment as he closed his eyes.

Sehun walked slowly down the sidewalk, his feet making small splashing sounds with each step. He was cold without his jacket, but the warmth of Baekhyun's body pressed close against him was enough to keep him comfortable. He listened to the gentle patter of rainfall, landing on different surfaces and creating unique sounds. He watched as the drops of water fell onto the ground, creating a temporary reflection of light before melding into the sheen of wet concrete. The shower of water falling before them also flickered, twinkling in the limited amount of light offered to it.

"...You're right...The rain is beautiful..."

Baekhyun leaned back a little to look at Sehun's face, breathless as he stared into his eyes. Sehun stared back at him, a warm smile covering his face. Baekhyun paused before his own mouth turned up into a smile, matching Sehun's tender expression.

Sehun stopped moving, the world around them fading away as they fell into each other's gaze, "...Baekhyun...I can't thank you enough for what you've given me..."

Baekhyun's gentle smile grew softer from Sehun's words, his eyes sparkled with joy, "You don't need to thank me, your happiness is all I need. Every smile and laugh you make is a special gift, I treasure each one."

Sehun squeezed Baekhyun lightly, his smile growing larger. He continued walking again, and Baekhyun rested his head against him. Baekhyun stared out at the rain, which appeared even more beautiful to him than it did before.

"...When I was little, I always used to fantasize about having my first kiss in the rain. I thought it would be so romantic."

Sehun slowly placed his foot down mid step and stopped moving again. The rain began to pour down on them heavily, Baekhyun laughed and leaned closer to Sehun for protection. Sehun looked down at Baekhyun's face, staring at his adorable expression. He closed his eyes and slowly leaned forward, pressing their lips together. Baekhyun clenched onto the jacket tightly, his heart throbbed as Sehun held the kiss for a long moment. The world around them began to fade again, the sound of falling rain the only reminder that anything else existed besides each other.

Sehun pulled away and looked into Baekhyun's eyes, "Just remember that one instead."

Baekhyun pressed his lips together, smiling with his eyes. There was no way Baekhyun was going to erase the memory of their first kiss, but in a way, this one could be considered a first kiss of sorts. It was the first time Sehun kissed him without being driven by lust, or Baekhyun telling him to do it. It was just a pure kiss, with nothing else attached to it.

Baekhyun closed his eyes and rested his head on Sehun's chest. He wished the distance to their car was miles away.

Sehun found where they had parked their car, it was easy to spot since the other cars that were previously parked next to them were gone now. Sehun took out the keys and unlocked their car, walking over to Baekhyun's side first. He opened the door and placed Baekhyun inside, then he quickly ran around the front of the car to get to the driver seat and climb inside. He started the car and Baekhyun turned on the heater. Baekhyun rubbed his hands together in front of it to warm up his icy hands. Sehun pulled out of their spot and started driving, creating large splashes of water around them. Baekhyun relaxed in his seat once he had gotten warmer and stared out his window at the rain, enjoying the sound as it pelted against the car.

As Sehun drove, he glanced over at Baekhyun a few times and admired his face as he peered out the window. The glisten of water reflected in Baekhyun's eyes, making them look like precious gems. Sehun didn't want to go home, he didn't want to go inside and miss the aesthetic of the rain. He wanted to share more time together with Baekhyun. He figured Baekhyun probably felt the same way. He wondered if this would be a good opportunity to make it up to Baekhyun, after all, he enjoyed their kiss in the rain.

Baekhyun noticed as Sehun took a wrong turn. He knew there was no way Sehun would make a mistake, and looked over at him curiously.

"Where are you going?"

"I want to enjoy the rain longer."

Baekhyun smiled as he continued staring at him. After a little while of driving, Sehun brought them to the beach. It was the same beach they had visited before together to watch the sun rise. He parked the car in an open spot with a wide view of the ocean. There were no other cars around them, it was only the two of them. Sehun turned the keys and turned off the car, the sound of the rain pounding down on their car suddenly becoming easier to hear.

Sehun looked over at Baekhyun and stared at him for a moment. Baekhyun turned to look back at him and recognized the lustful look in Sehun's eyes. Baekhyun bit his bottom lip as they continued staring at each other, and raised his shoulder flirtatiously in response to Sehun's seductive gaze.

"Get in the backseat." Sehun smirked, "I owe you some attention."

Sehun opened his door and got out of the car. Baekhyun only paused briefly in surprise before he smiled excitedly and quickly followed him. They both opened the back doors, hopping inside. Sehun took off his wet shoes and socks, tossing them into the front seat. Baekhyun did the same, and watched as Sehun started pulling off his shirt. Baekhyun slowly removed his own shirt as Sehun already started working on taking off his pants. Sehun came over to Baekhyun to help him remove his clothes, realizing he was going at a slower pace.

Sehun unbuttoned his pants, and Baekhyun wiggled in the small amount of space he had to get them off, turning around to spread his legs out. He tossed them down and quickly removed his underwear as well. As he sat back down, Sehun suddenly grabbed Baekhyun and forced him to bend over, shoving his shoulder down with his hand onto the seat. Baekhyun gasped as Sehun entered him, shoving himself deep inside.

Sehun naturally fell into the rhythm of the raindrops gently pattering on the roof of their car, matching it's subtle beat as he held onto Baekhyun's waist.

"Tell me how you like it, I want to spoil you."

Baekhyun bit on his lip and tightly shut his eyes, finding pleasure from Sehun's words alone. He rolled his head to the side as he spoke in a quiet breath.

"...Can you go really slow?"

Sehun squeezed Baekhyun's waist and slowed down his pace, the rain outside becoming more lively than their heavy movement. He watched as he pushed himself in and out of Baekhyun, the sight of it making it hard for Sehun to keep going at a lethargic pace. Each time he went deep inside, Baekhyun let out a weak high pitched breath. Sehun started breathing heavily, extremely aroused by the sounds Baekhyun was making. He hardly even heard the rain pounding on the car anymore, his mind was focused on every sound that escaped Baekhyun's lips.

"...Take your time with me...go as long as you can..."

Sehun moaned deeply and pushed himself deep inside Baekhyun even further, pausing on it and causing Baekhyun to tremble.

"...It's really hard to keep going slow..."

Baekhyun bit his lips flirtatiously, "Can't handle it?"

Sehun took a deep breath and gripped onto Baekhyun's waist tightly, "Not really."

Baekhyun could hear Sehun's heavy breathing, he could feel Sehun throbbing inside him. He smirked to himself, enjoying how much Sehun needed him.

"I thought you could handle anything."

"...Not this...I can barely control myself..."

Baekhyun played with his tongue in his mouth, still smirking, "What if I made it a mission? You're not allowed to go fast until I say so."

Sehun smirked as he stared down at Baekhyun, picking up on the mischievous tone in his voice.

"Roger."

Baekhyun shivered a little, it had been a long time since he had heard Sehun say that word. It reminded him of the Sehun from the past.

Sehun slowed down to an extremely slow pace, taking a long time to pull out of Baekhyun and push himself back inside. More quiet breaths escaped Baekhyun's lips, but the pace was becoming difficult for Baekhyun to handle. Baekhyun breathed heavily, trying to move his hips to make it feel a little faster. Sehun gripped onto him tightly so he couldn't move, smirking at how he had turned the tables on him. Baekhyun squirmed a little, going crazy with how slowly Sehun was going.

"I thought you wanted to go slow?"

Baekhyun took a deep breath, "...This is really slow..."

"You're the one in control. Just tell me when to go fast." Sehun spoke with clear amusement in his voice.

Baekhyun opened his mouth a little in disbelief, surprised that Sehun was playing around with him. Sehun continued moving at an agonizing pace, still gripping onto Baekhyun's waist tightly making sure he couldn't move. Baekhyun started to roll his head back and forth, he couldn't take it anymore.

"Faster!!"

Baekhyun let out a loud scream as Sehun thrusted into him hard and rough. Sehun clenched onto Baekhyun tightly, pounding into him over and over again, getting out all his built up tension. Baekhyun desperately reached for anything to hold onto, but there was nothing besides the slippery leather seat underneath him. Even Sehun wasn't able to fully control them, and they slid back and forth in the back seat as Sehun repetitively rammed into him. Baekhyun tried to grip onto the edge of the seat, but it slipped out of his hand as he was aggressively rocked around by Sehun. Baekhyun let out a long stream of moans, not able to even stop before a new rush of pleasure came over him. The trapped air in the car became musty with their sweat and the humidity from the rain. They panted as the temperature began to rise, their bodies slipping even more on the seat as it became wet with their sweat.

Baekhyun buried his face as he called out Sehun's name, his body trembling as his muffled voice escaped into the seat. Sehun sped up, humping him furiously to reach his own climax. Baekhyun continued screaming louder and louder, the pleasure building inside his body and mind beyond what he could handle. Sehun rammed deep into Baekhyun, pushing inside as much as he could. Baekhyun trembled and clenched down hard around Sehun as they moaned loudly together.

The seat was soiled with white as Baekhyun continued screaming, his body shaking as he tensed up. Sehun groaned as he scrapped his hands down Baekhyun's thighs, clenching tightly as he moved, leaving red marks from his nails. The seat was soiled again as Sehun leaked out of Baekhyun and dripped onto the black leather.

They both panted heavily and collapsed onto the mess below them. Baekhyun's arm fell off the side and went limp from exhaustion. They stayed breathing heavily for a while, neither one of them having enough energy to move. The rain outside had become soft, barely making a sound as it drizzled on the car, the crash of the nearby waves no longer drowned out by it's violent sound.

"...You're so dirty..." Baekhyun weakly exhaled.

"So are you." Sehun curiously answered, breathing onto Baekhyun's ear.

Baekhyun laughed a little, "No, not like messy. Like your mind, it's slang."

Sehun paused thinking about it, but he didn't fully understand.

"Making me want you to go fast...That's so dirty..."

"...Do you like it?"

Baekhyun smirked, "...Yes...It's so sexy..."

Baekhyun closed his eyes and relaxed more onto the seat, "You like having sex all over the place too...You know it's not normal right?"

Sehun laughed, "I just can't control myself."

Baekhyun took a large breath of air and let out a joyful sigh, "I know."

Sehun smirked, "I do like it though."

Baekhyun licked his lips and smiled, "Me too."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not sure if anyone noticed, but the headbands Sehun and Baekhyun were wearing at the cafe were kind of reminiscent of something, no? That was actually the inspiration for my story "In the Heat of the Moment." Don't ask me how, but as I was thinking of a wolf!au idea that scene came to mind. Anyway, it's kind of funny because it seems like an easter egg now to have Baekhyun as a cat lol.
> 
> Another not really an easter egg but seems like it now was the costumes they were wearing during Halloween. After dressing Sehun like a knight, I decided I wanted to write a story where Sehun actually was a knight. Hence "I Don't Love You!!" lol.


	27. Precious Memories

_"Come meet me under the bleachers outside."_

Baekhyun stared down at his phone and bit his lip as he read the text from Sehun. He turned it off and slowly put it away in his pocket. He continued biting on his lip as he made his way towards the front of the class to approach the teacher.

"I need to go to the bathroom."

"Not right now Byun." The teacher answered him briefly before raising her voice to the class, "Everyone find a partner. This project will be due next week so I suggest you work fast."

The students got up and began moving around, quickly pairing off with each other. Kyungsoo started to make his way over to Baekhyun, automatically assuming they would be partners. But as he walked over to him, he hesitated, noticing Baekhyun's suspicious behavior. Baekhyun slowly stepped backwards towards the doorway, and Kyungsoo watched in disbelief as Baekhyun slipped out of class, disappearing down the hallway.  
  
  


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Baekhyun's hands slipped as they held onto the support bars of the bleachers, his body falling forward a little from his temporary weakened grip. Sehun heard the sound of Baekhyun's skin squeaking against the metal, and slowed down his pace to make sure Baekhyun could gain his balance again. He moved his hands down Baekhyun's thighs, caressing his skin as he took his time enjoying the slow movement. His hands trailed up and down his soft exposed legs, wandering at a similar speed to his lethargic thrusting. Baekhyun's pants were down around his ankles on the grass, getting slightly damp from the morning dew still clinging to the blades underneath the shade of the bleachers.

They moaned quietly together, finding pleasure in the relaxed pace. Baekhyun shivered whenever Sehun's hand wandered close to his crotch, just barely missing his penis. He nibbled on his lip, abusing it with the pent up tension he had no other way of releasing. He gripped onto the bars tightly to push himself backwards, shoving Sehun's length deeper inside himself with each thrust. He trembled each time Sehun's grazed his sensitive gland, each pass bringing him closer and closer to his climax. He began to rock his body back and forth at a faster pace, and Sehun picked up his momentum to match him. Baekhyun began screaming, each thrust satisfying his built up needs. His hands slipped again and Sehun grabbed onto his waist tightly, making sure the fast pace could continue as he rode them through both their orgasms.

Baekhyun squeezed onto the bars with all his strength, but they continued scooting downward with each violent thrust. His head dropped down as he let out a loud moan, his body shaking as he finished onto the already wet grass. Sehun only moved a few more times before he reached his climax as well, moaning in an equally loud voice as he pushed himself deep inside Baekhyun.

They breathed heavily for a moment as Baekhyun's trembling hands weakly held onto the bars in front of him. Sehun slowly pulled out of Baekhyun and stepped backwards, Baekhyun could hear the sound of Sehun's zipper, followed by the jangling of his belt buckle.

"Are you ok?" Sehun asked, noticing Baekhyun wasn't moving.

"Oh my god yes."

Sehun smirked as he stepped closer to him again, skimming his hand across Baekhyun's body as he walked past him, making his way out of under the bleachers. Baekhyun smiled as he took in his last heavy breath. At last he finally stood up and released his grip on the metal bars. He watched as Sehun stepped up onto the bleachers to sit down. Baekhyun pulled up his pants and tucked in his shirt as he continued watching Sehun, he smiled once he saw Sehun take out his phone. He wasn't used to seeing Sehun leisurely using it.

Baekhyun came out from under the bleachers to join Sehun, stepping up a few benches to sit beside him. He scooted close to Sehun and looked down at his phone, watching as Sehun looked through his music.

"You have gym next, right? Is this what you usually do?"

Sehun laughed a little, "Yeah, I like to listen to music and dance."

Baekhyun smiled and reached over to click on a song. The music started playing and Baekhyun stood up, quickly hopping down the steps to stand on the ground. He turned around to face Sehun again, giggling as he began to wiggle his body.

"Come on, dance with me."

Sehun smiled and placed his phone down on the bench, standing up to start descending the stairs. Once he was on the ground, they started dancing together, moving their bodies to the music as they remained close to each other. Baekhyun moved around in a silly way as he continued giggling, and Sehun danced in a much more coordinated manner.

Sehun laughed as he watched him, "Baek, you dance really funny."

Baekhyun bit on his lip, barely able to keep his lips from curling up into a large smile. He loved that Sehun used that nickname again, he wondered how often Sehun would keep using it. He stopped dancing to face Sehun, continuing to smile at him as he watched Sehun move his body in an enticing way.

"Show me some moves."

Sehun smiled as he also stopped. He thought for a moment before posing his body, "Bend your legs like this."

Baekhyun copied Sehun's posture, "Ok."

"Now put your arms out."

Baekhyun copied him again, analyzing his pose carefully. Without hesitation, Sehun moved on to complete a strain of dance moves, Baekhyun tried his best to follow along, but he could barely comprehend what he had just seen.

"You're going to fast!" Baekhyun laughed.

Sehun also laughed and tried to show him more slowly, but Baekhyun still continued to struggle with it. He couldn't remember the flow of movement. Sehun stepped close to him, getting behind him as he gently grabbed his arms, trying to move them in the right place. Baekhyun bit his lip, smirking to himself as Sehun tried to help him.

"No, right foot first." Sehun laughed again.

"Oh ok." Baekhyun giggled.

Baekhyun began to mirror Sehun's movements more closely, and they repeated it a few times, laughing with each other as Baekhyun continued to make occasional mistakes.

"Ok ok, let me try."

Sehun stepped back to give him room, and Baekhyun listened to the music for a moment to find a good beat. He started dancing, and got the first part right, but then suddenly slipped on the wet grass. Sehun quickly caught him as Baekhyun began falling.

"Thanks." Baekhyun laughed in a defeated manner.

"Are you ok?"

"Yeah I'm fine."

Sehun let go of him and Baekhyun sat back down on the bleachers, tucking his hands under his knees.

"Maybe I'll just sit." Baekhyun laughed again.

Sehun smiled and sat back down next to him. They continued listening to the music as Sehun's phone remained resting on the bench next to them. They stared out at the field, finding enjoyment in sitting silently together and listening to the music.

Eventually the song changed to one with a slower beat, and Baekhyun leaned his head on Sehun's shoulder. They listened to the song for a bit before Baekhyun started quietly singing along. Sehun stared down at his feet as he focused on the sound of Baekhyun's voice rather than the real song. He scooted his feet lightly on the metal, dancing slightly to the graceful music.

The song changed again to another one with a slow beat, but they didn't mind, feeling like it fit their mood perfectly at the moment. Baekhyun began singing along again, feeling the emotion in every word he sang.

Sehun noticed Baekhyun shiver slightly and backed away from him to start taking off his blazer. Baekhyun smiled as Sehun wrapped it around his shoulders. He could feel the warmth from Sehun's body still clinging to the jacket.

He snuggled back on Sehun's shoulder as he scooted closer to him again. Sehun reached over and placed his hand on Baekhyun's thigh, rubbing it to warm him up a little. Baekhyun closed his eyes as he enjoyed Sehun's massage.

"I had to sneak out of class, the teacher wouldn't let me leave."

Sehun smiled as he continued rubbing his leg, liking the idea of Baekhyun escaping class to be with him.

"I'm going to be in so much trouble tomorrow." Baekhyun laughed.

"Sorry."

"Don't worry about it, it's worth it."

Sehun paused and squeezed Baekhyun's leg. He looked over into Baekhyun's eyes and smirked, communicating to him how much he enjoyed being naughty without actually saying it.

Baekhyun smirked back at him, "You're going to be in trouble too."

"I'm used to it."

Baekhyun let out a small laugh, "That's right, you used to ditch class all the time."

Sehun nodded as he resumed rubbing Baekhyun's leg. Suddenly the heard the far off sound of the school bell. Baekhyun sighed and slowly stood up. He took off Sehun's blazer and smiled as he turned around to hand it to him.

"You're staying out here right?"

"Yeah." Sehun answered as he grabbed his blazer back.

Baekhyun stepped down the bleachers carefully, each step making a small clanging sound. He turned to face Sehun again once he reached the bottom, still smiling.

"I'll see you at lunch."

"See you at lunch Baek." Sehun answered with an equally happy smile.

Baekhyun paused, staring at Sehun's warm expression. He bit down on his bottom lip as he took in the sight for a long moment. Sehun continued sitting as he watched Baekhyun turn and walk away. Once Baekhyun disappeared from his sight, Sehun reached for his phone.

_What does it mean when someone bites their lip while looking at you?_

Sehun typed the words into his internet search engine and clicked on the first link that appeared.

_"Biting your bottom lip is one of the most well known ways of flirting, it is a tactic often used on men to evoke in them provocative emotions. They are letting you know they desire you very much, and think you are very sexy."_

Sehun smiled to himself as he read the answer. He lowered his phone, turning it off as he looked over at the school building.  
  
  


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"Where did you go last period?" Kyungsoo asked with a frightening glare.

"Oh come on, you already know." Baekhyun quickly looked away, trying to avoid Kyungsoo's eyes.

"This is ridiculous!" Kyungsoo yelled, getting increasingly worried about his friend with each passing day.

"Uhhh I know...You have no idea..." Baekhyun sighed happily, "...Oh my god...It's so sexy..."

Kyungsoo stepped in front of Baekhyun to continue intimidating him with his vicious glare, "You haven't even bothered to cover up that hickey on your neck."

Baekhyun wiggled a little with a mischievous smile, "I don't want to."

Kyungsoo sighed, having no idea what to say at this point. He walked away and started to grab his ingredients, deciding to ignore his friend for the time being, hoping maybe giving Baekhyun the cold shoulder would be a profitable form of discipline.

Baekhyun didn't seem too effected though, and happily began grabbing his ingredients as well. He hummed to himself joyously as he began making a chocolate cake, a little treat he decided to spoil Sehun with.

Kyungsoo was about to break down and ask Baekhyun to stop humming, finding his lovey dovey mood to be annoying, but was abruptly cut off as the girls in the class suddenly began squealing. They both lifted their heads to see what all the commotion was about, and spotted Sehun as he walked through the tables to approach Baekhyun.

The teacher only looked up temporarily before returning to reading her book. She didn't even notice Sehun enter the room, and figured the squealing was about something trivial. Princess Nari watched with an annoyed expression, still feeling humiliated from the time Sehun had rejected her. She turned around to ignore the both of them, convincing herself that she could do better than Sehun anyway, after all, she was a princess.

Baekhyun smiled brightly as Sehun stood next to him, his hand stopping the task he was doing, "Hi Sehun."

"Hi." Sehun answered, also smiling.

"I'm making you a cake."

Sehun stepped behind Baekhyun and leaned close to look over his shoulder at the bowl he was mixing, "Baek is making me cake."

Baekhyun laughed and leaned back against Sehun, relaxing into his body. He spent a minute reveling in the moment, smiling to himself about Sehun's words.

Sehun noticed someone burning a whole into his body with a deathly glare, and looked over to see Kyungsoo staring at them both furiously.

"Is everything ok?" Sehun asked quietly, completely confused why Kyungsoo would be staring at them like that.

Baekhyun only glanced at Kyungsoo for a moment before sighing, "Yeah, he's just worried."

"He looks angry." Sehun quickly responded, feeling like even he had a good idea what that emotion actually was.

Baekhyun laughed, "He just doesn't approve of our behavior."

Sehun paused briefly before leaning down to whisper in Baekhyun's ear, "Did you tell him?"

Baekhyun shivered at Sehun's deep voice and took a slow breath before answering, "Yes."

Sehun smirked as he lingered near Baekhyun's ear, enjoying the fact that Baekhyun had told other people about it. He glanced down at the hickey on Baekhyun's neck as pulled his head away.

Baekhyun went back to cooking, and Sehun backed away from him to give him some space, watching as Baekhyun resumed his task of mixing the batter. Once he finished, Baekhyun poured the batter into a pan before placing it inside the oven. He looked over at Sehun and smiled.

"Want to make something else with me? We have time while that's baking."

Sehun laughed, "Sure, but I don't know how to cook."

"Don't worry, this is easy."

Baekhyun gathered a few things, bringing them over to Sehun, "Chocolate is your favorite, and strawberries are mine."

Sehun smiled, recognizing the delicious treat from their "honeymoon" spa dinner. Baekhyun walked through the process slowly with Sehun, using the most simple technique to show him how to make it. They dipped the strawberries in the melted chocolate together once it was done, and enjoyed a quick snack before the oven timer went off.

Baekhyun pulled the cake out of the oven and placed it on the table. Sehun immediately noticed the delicious smell, causing him to drool a little. He continued staring at it as Baekhyun walked away, leaving it on the counter. Baekhyun was letting it cool as he started to make the frosting. Sehun watched Baekhyun carefully, waiting for a good opportunity, and secretly pinched off a bite of the cake, popping it into his mouth. However, it was still really hot, and he made a sound as he spit it out of his mouth back into his hand. Baekhyun heard the noise and looked over at Sehun, he was staring down at the cake in his hand, a slightly disturbed expression on his face.

Baekhyun went over to Sehun and smacked his arm playfully, laughing at his childish behavior, "It's too hot, you have to wait!"

Sehun laughed back at him as he placed the now cool bite back in his mouth, "I see that."

Baekhyun smirked, staring at Sehun teasingly before walking away to continue making the frosting. Sehun smiled, waiting only a short moment before he pinched off another bite. He brought it to his face and quietly blew it off.

Once Baekhyun was done making the frosting he came back over to the cake. It looked like it had been attacked by some kind of animal, with many bites missing out of it. Baekhyun looked over at Sehun and gasped before he started laughing. Sehun laughed and clenched up his body, bringing his arms in front of himself in defense as Baekhyun started lightly smacking him.

Kyungsoo watched them both in awe, staring at Sehun in particular. He had never seen Sehun act this way before, never seen his smile or heard his laughter. He was stunned.

Baekhyun made a playful glaring face at Sehun before going back to the cake and flipping it out of the pan. As he did so, Sehun reached from behind and pinched off another bit of cake. Baekhyun gasped again and turned around to see Sehun quickly put it in his mouth.

Baekhyun smiled as he slapped his arm, "The cake will look ugly if you keep eating it!"

Sehun smirked as he continued chewing, "It's for me right?"

"Yes." Baekhyun answered as he formed an exaggerated pout.

"Then I don't care what it looks like."

Baekhyun paused before a smirk crept onto his lips, "Oh really?"

He took the cake and flipped it back over. Then he grabbed the frosting and began to glob it all over the cake, crumbs imbedding into it as the frosting began to melt off the sides. Sehun laughed as he watched him, realizing Baekhyun was making a giant mess.

Baekhyun closed his eyes and lifted his chin, "Here's your cake."

Sehun looked down at the cake, large clumps of frosting slowly falling off the sides. He looked back up at Baekhyun and smiled as he stepped over to him, wrapping his arms around him as he whispered in his ear.

"Sorry Baek, I do care."

Baekhyun opened his eyes and wiggled a little as he smiled, raising his hands to hold onto Sehun, "You still have to eat it."

Sehun squeezed him, "Don't worry, I will. It still tastes good."

Baekhyun smiled and reached through Sehun's arm to dip his finger into the frosting. He giggled as he smeared the frosting onto Sehun's face. Sehun laughed and wiped it off with his thumb, licking it off his finger as he continued staring at Baekhyun. Baekhyun bit on his lip as he watched him, subconsciously raising one of his shoulders as he became aroused by the vision in front of him.

Sehun stared down at Baekhyun's mouth, remembering what he had just learned about Baekhyun's habit of biting his lip. He smirked to himself as he slowly reached his hand backward and got a huge glob of frosting on his finger. Baekhyun noticed Sehun's sly movement and giggled as he backed away from him.

"No... Don't..."

Sehun continued smirking, "Come here Baek, I just want you to try it."

Baekhyun giggled loudly, "No you don't!"

Sehun lunged forward and barely grabbed Baekhyun's wrist as he tried to jump away. Baekhyun squealed as Sehun pulled him towards himself, trapping him in his arms. Baekhyun struggled, still giggling as he tried to escape.

"Nooooo!!"

Sehun wiped the large glob on Baekhyun's face as he wiggled in his arms. Baekhyun laughed as Sehun released him and quickly raised his hand to wipe his face. He got off as much as he could with one swipe before bringing his hand to his mouth.

Sehun watched as Baekhyun licked it off his finger, and for the first time, Sehun bit his lip. He was beginning to quickly learn the joy in playing with food.

Baekhyun looked up at Sehun with a pouting expression, "Is it still on my face?"

Sehun smirked as he walked over to Baekhyun, he licked his own thumb before wiping Baekhyun's face. He brought his thumb to his mouth and licked the remaining frosting off his finger when he was done, looking down at Baekhyun with a lusty expression. Baekhyun bit on his lip again, loving the seductive look Sehun was sending him. He hopped up onto the nearby counter, pulling Sehun closer to himself in-between his legs.

"Promise you'll eat it all?"

Sehun held up his pinky and smiled, "I promise."

Baekhyun stared down at Sehun's hand and smiled, always forgetting that Sehun thought pinky promises were normal. Baekhyun locked their pinkies together and then reached down to grab a fork. He stabbed it into the cake and scooped off a piece, bringing it to his face as he smiled at Sehun mischievously. But before he could eat it, Sehun quickly leaned forward and wrapped his mouth around the fork, devouring it in one bite.

Baekhyun laughed before gasping again, "Hey!"

Sehun smiled as he licked his lips, swallowing the bite, "I promised I would eat it all."

Baekhyun smacked his chest, "You have to share with me!"

Sehun shook his head as he grabbed the fork form Baekhyun and stabbed into the cake to cut off another piece.

"No I don't, that wasn't in the promise."

Baekhyun pouted as he watched Sehun, and Sehun smirked as he held the bite up to Baekhyun's face.

"All right I'll share."

Baekhyun smiled before opening his mouth for Sehun to feed him. Kyungsoo watched as Sehun gently shoved the fork inside Baekhyun's mouth, smiling at Baekhyun affectionally.

Kyungsoo felt completely lost, it seemed impossible that he was the Sehun Kyungsoo had come to know. It just didn't make sense.

As Baekhyun fed Sehun another bite, they both suddenly froze, an alarming sound coming to their ears. It had been a long time since they had last heard this sound. Sehun, Baekhyun, and Kyungsoo's phone were all buzzing, emitting a loud siren. The class looked around in confusion, unfamiliar with the meaning behind the noise.

Sehun and Baekhyun briefly stared at each other in concern before quickly making their way out of the classroom, followed by Kyungsoo.  
  
  


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As they arrived in the underground base they found Chanyeol already typing on the computer and looking at the map on the screen. He turned to look at everyone with an apprehensive expression.

"There are a lot..."

Sehun, Baekhyun and Kyungsoo walked over to the computer to look at the map as well. Baekhyun's face became distressed once he noticed the number Chanyeol was referring to.

"They're going to send this many?!"

"OZ has been quiet for a long time now, obviously they've been busy manufacturing an army." Chanyeol answered as he gritted his teeth.

"We should hurry." Kyungsoo abruptly responded, trying his best not to let his concern be audible.

Everyone quickly ran over to the Exo Suits and ascended the scaffolding to reach the cockpits. Baekhyun sighed as he opened the hatch to his Exo Suit, the fear lingering in the back of his mind about the war rising to the surface again. As he turned around to sit down, he was surprised to see Sehun standing behind him. Baekhyun stared up at Sehun's troubled expression, he had never seen him look so worried before.

"Be careful Baekhyun."

Baekhyun weakly smiled at him and stood back up to hug him. Sehun wrapped his arms around Baekhyun and squeezed him tightly.

"I'll be careful. You be careful too."

Sehun nodded, "Just try your best to stay away from me, I still haven't mastered the ZERO yet...I'd prefer if you didn't fight, but we need all the help we can get with this amount of Mobile Dolls."

Baekhyun paused, holding onto Sehun tightly, "Sehun, I believe in you. Don't worry...everything will be ok."

Sehun remained silent as he clutched onto Baekhyun, he wasn't used to feeling this uneasy about a battle. He wasn't used to feeling fear, especially for someone other than himself.

"Come on, we've got to hurry." Baekhyun tried his best to put on a brave smile for Sehun as he backed away from him.

Sehun stared at Baekhyun, his expression still as concerned as it was before. He leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on Baekhyun's cheek. He lingered on it for a long moment, and Baekhyun blushed as Sehun backed away and hopped off his Exo Suit.

Chanyeol watched them both as he was situating himself inside his own suit. Seeing Sehun act so affectionate and nervous made Chanyeol feel an even deeper levity to the situation they were in. If Sehun was that worried, they must be in a lot of trouble. His stomach churned for a moment before he suddenly stood up.

Kyungsoo looked up in surprise as Chanyeol stood in front of him, blocking him from closing his cockpit. Chanyeol had a determined expression, his eyes intensely focused on Kyungsoo. Kyungsoo blinked a few times, staring at Chanyeol and waiting for him to say something.

Chanyeol suddenly leaned inside Kyungsoo's cockpit, placing his hand on Kyungsoo's shoulder as he lunged forward, pressing their lips together in a kiss. Kyungsoo's eyes widened in shock as Chanyeol continued holding the kiss for a long moment.

Chanyeol pulled away and stared down at Kyungsoo with the same intense expression, "Be safe."

Kyungsoo's face slowly burned up, he couldn't even answer Chanyeol before he turned away and left.  
  
  


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The forests surrounding the Sanc Kingdom were filled with Mobile Dolls, all sent with one order, to destroy the pacifist kingdom. The Exo pilots split apart, each of them taking on their own section in the forest.

Sehun destroyed a massive number of Mobile Dolls with great speed, his fast movements unrivaled by any other mobile suit. Inside his cockpit, his breathing had become labored, and his eyes reflected a darkness that verified the ZERO's hold over him.

His vision blurred and Sehun grabbed onto his head, screaming as the cockpit flashed a golden light, the final stage in unlocking the full power of the ZERO system.

Sehun's expression turned vacant, the world around him suddenly moving in slow motion. Everything was so easy for him to see, the Mobile Doll's next move was painfully obvious to him. It was like playing a boring game for a child as Sehun quickly destroyed suit after suit, annihilating the battlefield.

The target crosshairs on the screens surrounding his cockpit merged together into one. There was only one target left. The crosshairs turned red as it locked on. Sehun fired, and watched as the school exploded into rubble.

Sehun's eyes widened once he realized what he had done, he hunched over screaming. He began to choke in his fit of despair, the horror to much for him to bare.

Suddenly he stopped and looked up at his screens, the school was unharmed. Sehun realized he must had fallen into another hallucination. He breathed heavily, finding relief in seeing the pristine building. His hands started shaking on the controls, trembling as he continued to inhale heavy breaths of air.  
  
  


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"How could they be withstanding our attack when we sent such a powerful military force?" General Junmyeon asked as he watched the battle unfold on a monitor placed in front of him.

"The Exo Suits have destroyed half the Mobile Dolls, and it's turning into a mess. At this rate, it's just a matter of time before we're defeated." Jongin quietly answered.

Junmyeon fumed for a moment as he watched Sehun continue to destroy his fleet, "Contact our ground troops stationed elsewhere. Tell them to head for the Sanc Kingdom at once to wipe out the Exo Suits!"

"Yes Sir!"  
  
  


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The Exo Pilots were unprepared for the additional Mobile Dolls to land around them, they were already having a difficult time with the original number of enemies. They tried their best to combat the new army, but the number proved to be too difficult for them.

Sehun was the only one easily defeating his targets, his suit unscathed as he surrounded himself with explosions. His mind had become completely lost to the power of the ZERO, each target he destroyed sent him deeper into the mindset of a killing machine.

The three other pilots crumpled to the ground, no longer able to fight as their suits were fired upon by the massive army. However, Sehun continued on his killing spree without noticing the plight they were in.

Baekhyun's hand trembled as he reached for his COM link, desperate to speak with Sehun, "Se..Sehun...Can you hear me?"

Sehun didn't answer him, his eyes remained dark as he continued firing on the surrounding Mobile Dolls.

"Sehun...I'm in danger...I don't think I can fight anymore...Sehun, please answer me...I want to hear you-"

Baekhyun's voice was suddenly cut off but the sound of gunfire and his own screaming. Sehun's eyes widened at the sound, he froze as he continued listening to Baekhyun's voice crying out in pain.

Sehun watched on his monitor as a large explosion hit Baekhyun's suit, causing it to roll over many times before coming to a halt. His suit laid broken on the ground, no longer able to move even if Baekhyun had the strength to fight. A group of Mobile Dolls began to surround him, all pointing their weapons at him.

Baekhyun curled up in a ball inside his cockpit in a useless attempt to protect himself, "Sehun!!!"

Sehun's eyes dilated upon hearing Baekhyun's desperate cry. His hands started shaking as he held onto the controls, no longer listening to the command of the ZERO System.

The lights in the cockpit turned into flashing lines that started to race across the screen. Sehun's eyes rapidly looked around at the screens in confusion.

"What's this...? Wh-What's going on...?"

Numbers began to flash on the screens, and a loud sound filled the cockpit. Sehun held onto his head and grunted in pain, an overwhelming sensation coming over him. The sound of Sehun's heartbeat began to fill his own mind, tuning out every other sound. It beat rapidly as Sehun began screaming, the sensation becoming difficult for him to handle. Then suddenly, a vision entered his mind, and he heard the sound of Baekhyun's voice.

_**  
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_**Baekhyun scooted closer to Sehun and wrapped his arms around him, tears in his eyes.** _

_**"...It's not fair...I'm sorry Sehun...I'll show you...I'll show you what real life is like."** _

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_**Sehun looked up at the school building window. Baekhyun was perched on one of the open windows, he smiled and waved at Sehun once he had spotted him. Sehun slowly looked away with a shy expression.** _

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_**"You're not alone!"** _

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_**Baekhyun sat down on Sehun's lap and held up his camera, pointing it at them both as he smiled. Sehun looked over at Baekhyun and then into the camera, he smiled warmly as Baekhyun took the picture.** _

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_**"This is your life isn't it? We should cherish the moments that we can, don't you agree?"** _

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_**They sat together silently and Baekhyun eventually lowered his head to rest it on Sehun's shoulder, cuddling up against him. The sun slowly began rising, filling the sky with a soft light as it inched above the horizon. Baekhyun reached over and held onto Sehun's arm as he watched it.** _

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_**"You promised you would try new things, so I made a list of things you should experience in life."** _

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_**Sehun blew a very abrupt burst of air, and gum spit out of his mouth, hitting Baekhyun in the face. Baekhyun burst out into laughter. Sehun paused for a moment as he watched Baekhyun continue laughing, and a small smile grew on his face.** _

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_**"You're not a weapon Sehun! You're a person!"** _

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_**Baekhyun placed a cake down in front of Sehun, and Sehun stared down at it, reading the words written with icing.** _

_**"Happy Birthday Sehun!"** _

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_**"I support you no matter what, I believe in you Sehun."** _

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_**Sehun lunged forward and barely grabbed Baekhyun's wrist as he tried to jump away. Baekhyun squealed as Sehun pulled him towards himself, trapping him in his arms. Sehun wiped a large glob of frosting on Baekhyun's face as he wiggled in his arms laughing.** _

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_**"I don't want to lose something important to me...I don't want to lose you."** _

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_**Sehun rolled on top of Baekhyun to pin him down in the snow. Baekhyun stared up at Sehun and smiled, his cheeks and nose were rosy from the cold. Sehun paused, noticing his painted features. He watched as puffs of air escaped Baekhyun's small pink lips.** _

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_**"I'll show you, there is so much more to life besides fighting."** _

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_**The rain poured down on them heavily, Baekhyun laughed and leaned closer to Sehun for protection. Sehun looked down at Baekhyun's face, staring at his adorable expression. He closed his eyes and slowly leaned forward, pressing their lips together. Sehun held the kiss for a long moment, and the world around them began to fade.** _

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_**"I feel everyone has their own fate. I feel like it's destiny that we met each other."** _

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_**Sehun glanced at the words written on the bottom of the list, curious what else Baekhyun had planned for them. His eyes focused on the words at the very bottom. Fall in Love.** _

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_**"You just want to be with them and you think about them all the time. They make you nervous, excited, and happy. It's painful to be separated."** _

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Sehun opened his eyes, the darkness no longer holding power over them. Tears trickled down his cheeks, in striking contrast to his determined expression. He quickly raised his hands to hold onto his controls, the ZERO System now under his complete control.

The Mobile Dolls surrounding Baekhyun vanished under clouds of smoke and fire. Baekhyun remained curled up inside his suit, waiting for the harm that was no longer coming to him.

Sehun spent little time annihilating the rest of the troops, managing to save Chanyeol and Kyungsoo as well. The entire forest was filled with smoke, the gunfire at last coming to a stop.

Baekhyun opened his cockpit and slowly climbed out in pain. Sehun jumped out of his own Exo Suit and ran over to Baekhyun, reaching out to hold onto him. Baekhyun looked up at Sehun's face in surprise.

"...Sehun...You're crying..."

Sehun wrapped his arms around Baekhyun and held him tightly, burying his face in Baekhyun's neck. They remained silent together, breathing quietly as they enjoyed each other's embrace.

Sehun finally understood. He was in love.


	28. An Unexpected Visit

Sehun sat on the bed, his back rested against the headboard as he stared down at Baekhyun laying next to him. Baekhyun was resting after the injuries he received in their recent battle. He was wearing a few bandages, all carefully wrapped by Sehun after he methodically inspected Baekhyun for any wounds.

Sehun focused his attention on Baekhyun's soft eyelashes gently pressed against his cheeks, his small lips slightly parted as they took in quiet breaths of air. He looked so angelic, sleeping peacefully with his petite hands resting at his sides. Sehun took a deep breath, feeling nervous as he admired every delicate feature on him. He had always found Baekhyun to be attractive, but he had never taken the time to fully appreciate just how beautiful he was. It was making his stomach churn, to think of all the things they had already done together. To think that Baekhyun allowed him to do all those things to him, allowed him to even touch his creamy skin, or kiss his soft lips. Of all the people in the universe, how did he get so lucky to even become friends with Baekhyun?

Sehun gulped as he looked away, the image of Baekhyun making him feel increasingly nervous the longer he gazed upon him. He slowly reached for his phone, staring at it for a long time before thinking of the right words he wanted to type.

_How to confess your love to someone_

He analyzed his options carefully from the list of links that appeared. The advice he was looking for was more important than anything else in his entire life, he wanted to make sure he picked the right one. At last, he clicked on the link that seemed most accurate to what he wanted to know.

_"There are many ways to confess your love to someone, with a letter or maybe writing them a song. But of course, the most common way is to simply tell the person how you feel. It's best if you make sure the two of you are alone together, preferably in a romantic setting. Possibly somewhere that is special for the two of you. Feel out the moment, when the mood is just right."_

Sehun quickly turned off his phone once he heard Baekhyun make a small yawn. He looked over to see Baekhyun staring at him, smiling gently as he squinted his eyes from the light in the room.

"Hi Sehun."

Sehun licked his lips as he placed his phone on the nightstand, "...Hi."

Baekhyun weakly pushed himself to sit up, taking a deep breath as he did so, "Are you hungry?"

"Just rest Baekhyun, don't worry about it." Sehun answered as he reached over to help Baekhyun sit up.

"No no, I'm ok now. Besides, I'm hungry too and you have no idea how to cook." Baekhyun laughed.

Sehun sighed, feeling bad that he couldn't make Baekhyun any food, "Ok, just tell me if you need help."

"I'll be fine Sehun, really, don't worry."

Sehun helped Baekhyun get out of bed, which Baekhyun smiled at since he felt strong enough to do it on his own. His injuries weren't significant, and a little rest was really all he needed to heal. Sehun slowly walked with him to the kitchen, holding onto his waist to give him support. Baekhyun bit on his lip, trying not to giggle as he allowed Sehun to treat him so extra carefully.

Sehun continued to hold onto Baekhyun as he tried to gather ingredients, never ceasing to let go as Baekhyun moved around the kitchen. At last Baekhyun laughed, Sehun's relentless hold on him making it difficult for him to cook.

"Sehun, just go sit at the table and wait, ok? I'm totally fine."

Sehun stared at Baekhyun in concern as he finally let go, "Ok."

Baekhyun began moving around again, and Sehun paused watching him for a moment, needing verification that Baekhyun was really all right. He carefully analyzed Baekhyun's movement, but his trained eye didn't notice any indications that Baekhyun was compensating or feeling discomfort anywhere. So he decided to let Baekhyun be alone as he wished, and left the kitchen.

As he was sitting alone at the table, Sehun thought over the words he had previously read about confessing his love. He tapped his finger on the wooden surface as he contemplated what he should do, and glanced over at the picture frame situated next to him, the photo of them smiling together placed inside. He stared at Baekhyun's happy expression, his smile was so bright and warm, it made Sehun smile just looking at the photograph.

He wasn't exactly positive how Baekhyun felt towards him, but he had a feeling Baekhyun had a pretty strong attachment to him, considering what he allowed Sehun to do. He knew Baekhyun wouldn't go around just kissing anyone, and even more importantly, he knew he wouldn't go around having sex with just anyone. He realized Baekhyun must have treasured their relationship, Sehun could only hope that meant love.

But even if Baekhyun didn't love him in return, Sehun was determined to tell him how he felt. He wanted to make it special, after all, Baekhyun deserved a perfect confession. He deserved all the happiness in the world, as far as Sehun was concerned.

After thinking it over for a good long while, Sehun finally thought of the perfect way. He sprung out of his seat in excitement and almost went running towards their bedroom, hoping to find what he was looking for.

As Baekhyun was cooking, he heard someone knocking at the door. He ignored it, figuring Sehun would answer it, but he never heard the door open. After a little while, he heard the knocking again. Baekhyun put down his wooden spoon and made his way towards the front door. He looked at the table, but Sehun wasn't sitting there. He continued looking around for him as he opened the door.

When Baekhyun turned his head to look at the person knocking at the door, he froze in shock. There wasn't just one person, but four. One man, and three young women, all of them with a sentimental look on their face.

They all remained silent for a long moment, staring at each other thoughtfully. The silence was finally broken by Baekhyun, his voice quiet and slow as he gawked at them in disbelief.

"...Dongwon...Sunhee...Minji, Yoomi...What are you doing here?"

The three girls suddenly leapt forward to hug Baekhyun.

"Baekhyunie!!!"

"You've grown so much!!"

"You're really alive!!!"

The girls spoke over each other, emotionally crying as they squeezed him. Baekhyun smiled warmly and closed his eyes as he hugged them back. They embraced each other for a long moment, the girls sniffling as they smothered him with their love.

Sehun came out of the bedroom after hearing all the commotion, and watched from a close distance as the girls finally backed away from hugging Baekhyun. He stared at them all curiously, wondering who they were.

The girls started pinching Baekhyun's cheeks, each of them getting a decent handful, "You're still so cute!!"

Baekhyun laughed, "And you still act the same."

The man suddenly stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Baekhyun, bringing him into a strong hug. Sehun clenched his fist as he stared at them both, the sight of it infuriating for Sehun to behold. He started to make his way towards them, glaring at the man furiously.

"It's so good to see you Baekhyun." The man spoke endearingly as he continued holding him.

Sehun paused and took a deep shaking breath. No one else called him that, only he called him Baekhyun. Sehun gritted his teeth, ready to give this guy a piece of his mind.

The man backed away from Baekhyun and continued holding onto his shoulders, "We can't believe you're an Exo Pilot. We saw you on the news."

Baekhyun smiled at him brightly, "...How did you all get here?"

The girls noticed in surprise as Sehun approached them all, standing nearby as he fixated his fierce gaze on the man. The girls tapped Baekhyun on the shoulder as they continued looking at Sehun.

"Ummm, Baekhyunie..."

Baekhyun turned and noticed Sehun staring at them. He smiled and bounced over to stand with him, grabbing onto his arm.

"This is Oh Sehun."

Sehun kept his enraged gaze on the man, and the man stared back at him curiously. Baekhyun didn't notice however, and continued speaking as if nothing was wrong.

"Sehun, these are my siblings!"

Sehun finally moved his eyes to look over at Baekhyun in surprise. Baekhyun's face was covered in joy, ecstatic to introduce Sehun to his family.

"Sehun is my partner, he's another Exo Pilot."

Baekhyun's siblings all stared at Sehun for a moment, surprised that he was also young like Baekhyun. Sehun lowered his eyes, feeling ashamed that he had made a bad first impression on Baekhyun's family. He quickly bowed to them all as he spoke.

"It's a pleasure to meet all of you."

The sisters began giggling as they stared at him, and secretly started whispering to each other, "He's so handsome!"

Baekhyun smiled, knowing what his sisters were talking about without having to hear their voice. It was obvious what they were thinking just by the expressions on their faces. They began to nudge Baekhyun, eager to be introduced to Sehun.

"Introduce us Baekhyunie."

Baekhyun laughed into his fist for a moment as he waited for Sehun to stand up again.

"These are my older sisters: Minji, Sunhee, and Yoomi."

Sehun followed Baekhyun's hand as he indicated which face belonged to which name. He tried his best to memorize their faces, taking notice of unique features they each had. Minji was the tallest, and appeared to be the oldest, although it was hard to tell because they all seemed to be around the same age, just a little older than himself. Sunhee had a round face, and dimples when she smiled. Yoomi was the shortest, and looked the most similar to Baekhyun. However, none of their appearances compared to Baekhyun as far as Sehun was concerned, Baekhyun was far prettier.

Sehun bowed again, "Nice to meet you."

The sisters fell into another small fit of giggling, "Nice to meet you too."

"And this is my brother, Dongwon."

Dongwon was an older man, around the age of thirty five or so. He resembled Baekhyun slightly, but his appearance was far more masculine. Sehun noticed he was wearing a wedding ring, and it appeared to have some kind of symbol on it.

Dongwon offered a handshake to Sehun, "I really respect you Exo Pilots."

Sehun reached out his hand as well, giving it a firm shake. Baekhyun smiled as he stared at them both, never imagining he would get the chance to introduce his family to Sehun. And then it suddenly hit him.

Sehun had never been exposed to a situation like this before. He probably didn't realize keeping their interesting relationship a secret was kind of essential. Baekhyun panicked as he raised his hand to cover the hickey on his neck, hoping it had gone unnoticed. He quickly used his other hand to grab his phone out of his pocket and pretended to look at it.

"Sehun, there's another attack!"

Sehun let go of Dongwon's hand and looked over at Baekhyun curiously, "But the al-"

Baekhyun put his phone back in his pocket and grabbed Sehun's arm, dragging him into the bedroom.

"I'm sorry, we'll be right back! We need to gear up!"

Baekhyun's family watched them with concern as they disappeared down the hallway. Baekhyun closed the door behind them once they had entered their room and let out a sigh.

"I'm sorry, I needed to talk to you. Please try to avoid bringing up the fact that we've been doing stuff together. My family is really strict about it."

Sehun nodded as he watched Baekhyun quickly walk over to the bathroom, "Ok."

Baekhyun desperately opened the medicine cabinet and reached for a box of bandaids. He grabbed a large square one and began applying it to his neck to cover the hickey.

"We're suppose to wait until we get married to do that kind of stuff. You know, being a member of royalty and all."

Sehun took a deep breath, remembering that Baekhyun was a prince. He had never forgotten that Baekhyun was royalty, but at this moment it made him feel a little nervous. He could easily imagine that Baekhyun's relatives wouldn't be too pleased if they knew someone as lowborn as himself had deflowered their little brother.

"Ok, I won't say anything."

Baekhyun looked over at Sehun as he finished pressing on the bandaid, "Sorry... we can't really even touch each other."

Sehun paused, a little upset by the news, "...I understand."

Baekhyun weakly smiled, "Thanks Sehun."

They walked down the hallway together and returned to the main room. Baekhyun's siblings noticed they weren't in a rush anymore.

"Sorry, we're back."

"That's all right, is everything ok?" Yoomi asked.

Baekhyun nervously smiled, "...Yeah, it was just a false alarm..."

"Oh my goodness, you guys are always on edge huh? I'm so sorry Baekhyunie."

"We've been so worried about you, it's so dangerous to be a soldier..." Sunhee added.

"How did you escape from OZ anyway? We were all so horrified when we saw that you were captured!" Minji asked as she stepped closer to Baekhyun.

"Sehun saved me, lots of times actually." Baekhyun answered as he looked over at Sehun smiling.

The sisters all looked over at Sehun with yet another reason to admire him. Their eyes turned soft as they stared at him, ogling him for a moment.

"You're such a hero!" They squealed.

Sehun glanced away, feeling a little shy, "Don't just praise me, Baekhyun has also saved my life many times."

None of Baekhyun's siblings failed to notice Sehun using such a familiar name for their little brother. Dropping the prince title was understandable, but using Baekhyun's first name was another thing. There was an awkward silence, and Baekhyun quickly realized what they were all thinking about. He coughed a little before speaking.

"...I was in the middle of cooking something. All of you go ahead and sit down, it should be ready in a minute."

Baekhyun nervously hurried off to the kitchen, hoping to avoid the awkward situation. As he walked past the kitchen table he suddenly noticed the photo of him and Sehun together sitting in open view of everyone. Feeling everyone's eyes on him, he decided to keep walking.

"Baekhyunie can cook?"

Sehun thought about it for a minute, realizing that Baekhyun must have learned how to cook after he had run away.

"He cooks me every meal."

The sisters all smiled, "Wow, that's so sweet of him!"

Baekhyun carefully peaked his head out of the kitchen to make sure no one was watching him anymore, and quickly scurried over to grab the photo, swiftly disappearing again once he had taken it.

"Do you two live together?" Sunhee asked.

Sehun hesitated, unsure how he should answer, but he figured it was best to tell the truth, "Yes."

The sisters all smiled and started whispering to each other again. Dongwon sighed and encouraged them all to sit down, getting tired of his sisters actions. Sehun was uncomfortable as he sat with them all, he certainly was not experienced in entertaining guests, much less Baekhyun's royal family. There was a long awkward silence as they waited for Baekhyun, but the sisters were happy entertaining themselves just by staring at Sehun.

"Which Suit do you pilot?" Dongwon eventually asked.

"01. Exo ZERO."

"You're so brave!" Sunhee randomly squealed, her excitement suddenly erupting after hearing Sehun's deep voice.

"Do you have a girlfriend?" Yoomi joined in her sister's excitement.

The two other sisters laughed and started smacking Yoomi lightly out of embarrassment from her asking such a question. Dongwon shook his head and sighed, used to the way his sisters acted whenever they got around attractive boys.

"No."

The sisters all shared a secret but not so secret victorious smile with each other. Before they could continue questioning Sehun, Baekhyun came out with the food. He placed it on the table, and his family stared down at the well prepared food in surprise.

"Sorry, there's not a lot, but I can always make more."

Baekhyun began serving the food for everyone, and Sehun watched him closely, admiring the way he gracefully grabbed each plate, quietly placing it back down onto the table once he was finished divvying the food. Sehun realized his practiced manners were probably thanks to his training when he was a young prince. He had never really thought about his refined movement before, other than he found it appealing in contrast to the way most guys bumbled around.

"Baekhyunie, you're such a good chef! You make us look bad!"

"Thank you." Baekhyun laughed as he took off his apron and sat down next to Sehun, "Please, dig in."

His siblings quickly began eating, admittedly hungry after their long journey to Baekhyun's school. Baekhyun hesitated as he stared at them all, cherishing the fact that they were there with him. Memories from the past filled his mind as he watched them enjoying his food. His sisters tickling him whenever he got upset, his brothers covering for him whenever he did something wrong. He loved them all so much, he was so happy to see them again. But there was one person missing.

Tears began to form in Baekhyun's eyes, he desperately bit on his lip to try and stop himself from crying. Sehun noticed and quickly reached over under the table to gently grab Baekhyun's leg, trying his best to soothe him as he massaged it lightly.

Baekhyun broke into a tiny sob as he spoke to everyone, "...Im really sorry about Hyunsoo..."

Baekhyun's siblings all looked up from their food once they heard Baekhyun's emotional voice. Their faces all dimmed in sadness, and Dongwon sighed as he placed down his utensil.

"...Baekhyun...I know you must feel guilty about it...But we don't blame you. We're so proud of you, Hyunsoo was too. He tried to get the colonies to support the Exo Suits."

Sehun squeezed Baekhyun's leg as he watched tears begin to trickle down his cheeks. His lip slightly trembled as he spoke in a broken voice.

"...I wish I could have seen him again."

Dongwon looked into Baekhyun's fragile eyes, trying his best to keep a courageous face himself, "He had no regrets. He was actually really embarrassed when he discovered that you are an Exo Pilot, he wanted to try and do more to help gain peace."

Baekhyun lowered his face to stare down at the table, more tears continuing to pour down his cheeks. Sehun continued to massage his leg, trying his best to give Baekhyun any amount of comfort.

"We both tried to become soldiers, but Mother wouldn't let us." Dongwon lightly laughed, "All we can do is preach about peace, but here is our little brother, actually fighting to protect everyone."

The corner of Baekhyun's mouth lifted slightly, Dongwon's words having a positive effect on him. Baekhyun could picture it so well, his brothers pleading to their mother. He imagined they must have been pretty crushed, they were always so proud of their manhood. To think that Baekhyun turned out to be the soldier amongst them was rather amusing.

"I'm jealous, flying around in that suit looks fun."

Baekhyun took a quivering breath and began to wipe his tears, "Yeah, it is pretty fun."

"It's intense though, right? I heard flying an Exo Suit puts a lot of strain on your body. I don't mean to insult you, but you don't look very strong." Dongwon laughed again, trying his best to lighten the mood.

Baekhyun swallowed and cleared his throat, "It's different, your body has to learn endurance. I actually can fight though."

Dongwon chuckled, "Ok, I need to spar with you sometime. I'll be embarrassed if I lose though."

Baekhyun smirked as he continued wiping his tears, "You better start preparing yourself then."

Sehun stared over at Baekhyun smiling, finding the idea of it amusing. He was positive Baekhyun could defeat his older brother fairly easily. Baekhyun glanced back at Sehun also smiling.

"Just don't ever pick a fight with Sehun. He's superhuman."

Baekhyun's sisters all stared at Sehun with clear adoration in their expressions, every fact they learned about Sehun driving them further into their affection for him.

"I won't." Dongwon smiled, "So, tell us Baekhyun, why did you run away from home to become a soldier anyway?"

Baekhyun paused, picking up his fork to take his first bite of most likely already cold food, "Well, I'm sure you remember, I love the Earth."

Minji nodded, "Yes, you were always so obsessed with nature."

"I desperately wanted to see it, I wasn't sure how else I would be able to get here."

There was a long moment of silence at the table as Baekhyun's siblings thought about his words. They carried a lot of painful memories from that time, but no matter how much they wanted to yell at Baekhyun for suddenly disappearing like that, they didn't have the heart to do it. They all secretly admired Baekhyun's bravery to carry out his dream.

"I just can't imagine our little Baekhyunie being raised as a soldier." Sunhee sighed.

Baekhyun took a small bite and swallowed before answering, "It wasn't as bad as you think. My training wasn't nearly as intense as Sehun's was."

Baekhyun looked over at Sehun and watched as he chewed on a mouthful of food. He smiled at him affectionally, taking a moment to admire him.

"He's like the kind of secret agents you see in movies."

Baekhyun's sisters all started giggling, once again becoming more infatuated with Sehun.

"When the war is over, would you consider being our bodyguard?" Sunhee boldly asked.

Baekhyun laughed, "Sorry, he's going to travel the world with me."

Sehun stilled his hand as he brought another bite of food to his mouth. Baekhyun's words had a much heavier effect than he realized.

Sehun never thought about the future, his mind was always living in the present. His plans after the war was possibly over had never crossed his mind. He had always figured he would die fighting, that was all he ever imagined his existence amounting to.

The thought of traveling the world in peace, with Baekhyun by his side...It brought Sehun an indescribable joy. He wanted that. He wanted that so very much.

Baekhyun had no idea that he had given something invaluable to Sehun just by uttering that small sentence. That's when Sehun decided, he was going to use all his strength to make that thought a reality. That was the future he was going to fight for. It had become Sehun's first dream.

"Well, he can still be our bodyguard after that." Yoomi giggled.

"I want to stay here on Earth." Sehun abruptly answered.

Baekhyun looked over at Sehun in surprise, staring at him for a long moment before a tender smile grew on his face. Sehun's words were almost like a gift, returning the joy that Baekhyun had given to Sehun.

"Well, you both need to visit us at least!"

"Of course. You can visit us too." Baekhyun answered in a soft voice, "That reminds me... how did you all get here?"

Dongwon swallowed his sip of water before placing the glass back down on the table, "It took us a long time, there were a lot of procedures we had to go through. We can't stay long, only a few days."

"...I see...That's too bad..."

"Unfortunately an entire day will be spent having an important meeting with Princess Yoon Nari."

Baekhyun cringed at the name. Not only for his complete dislike of her, but the fear that she might divulge some information about his relationship with Sehun.

"But we can go somewhere fun tomorrow if you have time!" Sunhee suggested.

Baekhyun's face lit up, "Ok! Even if I was busy I would make time for you!"

"We want to see the Earth, you'll have to show us somewhere really beautiful!" Yoomi added.

Baekhyun nodded as he paused thinking, "Maybe we can go to a park tomorrow and have a picnic? I'll pick one with good hiking trails."

"Sounds great!"

"Is it all right if I invite my friends? I'd like for them to meet you. They're the other two Exo Pilots."

"Of course, the more the merrier!" The sisters quickly replied, not taking long to do the math in their heads. Three guys, and three girls. The only problem was deciding who got Sehun.

After everyone finished eating, Baekhyun showed them to the door. It had already gotten pretty late, and they wanted to get a good night rest for tomorrow. His sisters squeezed him tightly before they stepped out of the door.

"See you all tomorrow! Are you going to come here?" Baekhyun asked.

"Yes, we'll come here around 9:00 am, is that all right?"

"Yeah, see you then!"

Baekhyun clicked the door closed behind them, and turned to Sehun with a smile, "I never really asked you, but you'll come too, right?"

Sehun spent a moment staring into Baekhyun's eyes, "You never need to ask me. I'll always go with you wherever you want to go."

Baekhyun bit down on his lip as he stared back at Sehun, leaning against the door with his hands holding onto the doorknob. He wiggled for a moment, reveling in Sehun's answer. His life was pretty close to perfect at the moment.

He pushed himself off the door and grabbed onto Sehun's hand as he made his way over to the couch. Sehun sat down next to him as Baekhyun took out his phone.

"Will you help me look up some parks around here?"

"Ok." Sehun answered as Baekhyun already started searching.

Sehun hesitated for a moment before he joined him. The situation had slowly sunken into his mind...They were going to be spending the next few days with Baekhyun's family. He was no expert, but he was pretty sure that would be a terrible time to confess his feelings to Baekhyun.

He slowly took out his phone as well, feeling a little downhearted. He was going to have to wait until Baekhyun's family was gone. Even if they were alone together at night, Sehun wasn't allowed to even really touch Baekhyun during the day. It would be almost cruel of him to confess right now.

Baekhyun draped his leg over Sehun's lap as they quietly searched together, kicking his foot lightly as he scrolled through a list of parks. Sehun rested his hand on Baekhyun's leg as he did the same, taking a deep breath as he enjoyed the bittersweet moment.

Eventually Sehun leaned over and showed Baekhyun an option on his phone, "What about this one?"

Baekhyun smiled as he leaned closer to Sehun to look at it, "It looks nice. Does it have good trails?"

Sehun swiped the image with his thumb, revealing a slideshow of pictures, including hiking trails.

"Pretty!"

Sehun brought the phone back to himself, "Should I keep looking?"

"No, that one looked good. Send me the address."

Sehun nodded as he copied the link and went to his chat with Baekhyun to send it to him. Baekhyun kicked his foot lightly again as he watched him, enjoying the touch of Sehun's hand on his leg. He wondered how Sehun was doing, they hadn't done anything together all day. He bit on his lip as he wiggled for a moment, reveling in the idea that suddenly came over him.

Without warning, he scooted closer to Sehun, getting on top of his lap to sit on him. Sehun looked up in surprise, moving his phone out of the way as Baekhyun rested his hands on his chest.

Baekhyun smirked as he leaned close to Sehun's ear, whispering to him in a sultry voice, "I missed you."

Sehun gulped, his senses tingling as Baekhyun's soft voice tickled his ear. He took a deep breath, raising his hands to hold onto Baekhyun. Baekhyun melted at his touch, sinking closer to Sehun as he kept his face close to his ear.

"You must have been suffering today...I want to give you a treat."

Baekhyun continued smirking as he felt Sehun's chest inflate with large breaths of air. He playfully nibbled on Sehun's ear, sucking on it slightly as he pulled away to speak again.

"Please let me suck you, I love it so much."

Baekhyun didn't need an answer, he could feel Sehun suddenly become hard. He bit on his lip, enjoying how easily he was able to arouse Sehun. He caressed his chest as he continued quietly whispering to him.

"I want to taste you again."

Sehun shuddered as Baekhyun placed a gentle kiss on his jaw, and then started to place more soft kisses on his face as he snuck closer to Sehun's mouth.

Little did Baekhyun know, Sehun's realization of his feelings had actually calmed his lust slightly. His mind had been occupied with other thoughts, pertaining to his heart rather than his sexual appetite. However, having the person he loved come on to him so strongly woke up those strong urges again, and Sehun wasn't about to complain about it. He saw no reason why they shouldn't still enjoy each other before he confessed his feelings.

Sehun rolled his head to meet Baekhyun's lips, kissing him as he squeezed him tightly against his body. Baekhyun moaned as he slowly crawled his hands up Sehun's neck, sinking them into Sehun's hair to massage the back of his head. They continued kissing each other, long and heavy presses of their lips as Baekhyun moaned softly, rocking his hips on Sehun's lap as Sehun's hands migrated under his shirt, gripping onto his back. Baekhyun snuck his tongue into Sehun's mouth, lightly caressing the tips of their tongues together, making it impossible for Sehun to ignore the craving for Baekhyun's tongue to massage him elsewhere.

Sehun suddenly pulled his face away, simultaneously ripping off Baekhyun's shirt before lunging forward again to kiss Baekhyun's soft exposed skin. Baekhyun moaned as Sehun aggressively smothered his body with his mouth, kissing and biting and sucking on him in with rapid movement. Sehun's hands slid down under Baekhyun's pants, squeezing onto his butt to satisfy even more of his cravings. His mouth eventually found Baekhyun's hardened nipple, and he started to play with it in his mouth, all his lust suddenly focused on it. Baekhyun moaned loudly as he continued thrusting his hips, his hands clenching tightly onto Sehun's hair.

His moaning was so loud, it was impossible for Dongwon to miss when he approached the door again, raising his hand to knock on it but stopping once he heard the sound of Baekhyun's voice. He paused for a moment in shock, trying to rationalize what he was hearing, but there was simply no mistaking it.

Dongwon suddenly swung the door open, and quickly spotted his little brother on the couch, Sehun's hands down his pants and his mouth biting onto his nipple.

Baekhyun's heart dropped and his face turned white as he stared over at his older brother. Sehun quickly raised his head once he heard the sound of the door, and also froze once he noticed Dongwon standing in the doorway. They all stared at each other for a long awkward moment, and Sehun slowly moved his hands out of Baekhyun's pants. The horrifying shock of the moment killed both of their lust, along with their erections, and Baekhyun was able to slowly climb off Sehun's lap to sit next to him, agonizingly waiting for his brother's first words.

"...Baekhyun...are you..." Dongwon paused as he coughed in discomfort, "Are you two together?"

Baekhyun stared over at Sehun, looking up into his eyes apologetically, trying to tell Sehun that he needed to lie a little. Baekhyun still wasn't sure if Sehun considered them a couple yet.

"...Yes."

Dongwon stepped into the room and closed the door behind him, "Have you had sex?"

Baekhyun winced as he bit down on his lip, the question came up much faster than he was ready for, "...Yes..."

Sehun secretly moved his hand that was resting in-between their bodies, and started to affectionately caress Baekhyun's leg a little, hidden from Dongwon's view. Dongwon stepped closer to them, sternly glaring at Baekhyun.

"Baekhyun, what are you thinking?"

Baekhyun took a deep breath, and his body started to shake a little. This was not a good time for this discussion, Baekhyun was afraid of what might come up.

"...I'm...I'm not just fooling around..."

Dongwon's voice became more heavy, "Well I certainly hope not."

Baekhyun looked up at his brother with a desperate expression on his face, "Please don't tell anyone about this!"

Dongwon paused for a moment, sighing as he lowered his head to rub his eyes, "...If you don't end up being serious about this relationship I'm going to have to tell Mother."

"So you'll keep it a secret for now?" Baekhyun quickly replied, his voice wavering a little.

Dongwon took a deep breath, "...Yeah, I'll keep it a secret...I'm a guy too...I know it can be hard...But Baekhyun, you are really young...I didn't expect this from you..."

Baekhyun lowered his head, staring down at Sehun's hand that was still caressing him to give him comfort. Baekhyun didn't regret his actions, but he knew his brother wouldn't understand.

"...Baekhyun...you've only slept with him...?" Dongwon asked after staring at them for a long moment.

Baekhyun quickly raised his head again, staring into his brother's eyes to show him in honest expression, "Yes."

Dongwon stepped further into the room, gesturing his hand to let them know he wanted them to sit at the table. Baekhyun gulped as he slowly grabbed his shirt, putting it back on before joining him at the table.

"Baekhyun...I understand you were very young when you left...and maybe our family values weren't fully communicated to you..." Dongwon started.

Sehun reached his hand under the table to grab Baekhyun's hand, and Baekhyun squeezed it, showing his appreciation of Sehun's comfort.

"In our family, we believe that this kind of... intimacy... isn't something to take lightly...we believe you should save this for the person you are married to... the person you are going to spend your life with. Without fully knowing the person you are being intimate with, you might end up regretting it..." Dongwon paused sighing, "Baekhyun, if you end up with someone else, you'll have to explain this to them... that when you were still in high school you were sexually active..."

Baekhyun spoke in a steady voice, "I don't regret it. I won't ever regret it. "

Dongwon stared at Baekhyun with slight doubt in his expression before his eyes wandered over to Sehun, "What about you? You've been awfully quiet."

Baekhyun closed his eyes and tightly pressed his lips together as he squeezed onto Sehun's hand. Sehun squeezed it back, trying to let Baekhyun know everything was ok.

"Baekhyun and I have been through a lot together. I'm not taking this lightly, it's taken me a long time to get to this point with him."

Baekhyun slowly looked over at Sehun and smiled, touched by his words.

Dongwon sighed, looking back over at Baekhyun, "...Still, Baekhyun, you're a Prince. Your actions reflect our family. If anyone found out about this, imagine how it would portray our family to the people. We're trying our best to promote good values to our citizens."

"...No one here knows I'm a Prince..." Baekhyun answered in a quiet voice.

"But one day they might. They will remember you, and the choices you have made. Does anyone know about your relationship with Oh?"

"Only our friends..."

Dongwon sighed in relief, "Good. Let's keep it that way."

Dongwon reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone, "I might as well get this over with right now, since I'd prefer the rest of our visit was pleasant. I asked the school to send me your records, I hope you've been on good behavior otherwise."

Baekhyun gulped, he knew he hadn't been on good behavior. He squeezed Sehun's hand again, needing a dose of comfort.

Dongwon started to scan the document, reading it slowly, "Well, your grades aren't the best, but they never were so I can't say I'm surprised..." Suddenly Dongwon paused, looking up at Baekhyun with a stern expression again, "You went to school with a hickey?"

Baekhyun tensed up, he wasn't even thinking about that part, "...Yes."

Dongwon stared at the bandaid on Baekhyun's neck and sighed, "Well, that might haunt us later..."

There was a long moment of awkward silence as Dongwon continued reading. Baekhyun unconsciously rubbed Sehun's hand with his thumb, staring down at the grains in the table, waiting for Dongwon to discover the part he was worried about.

"Why have you been ditching so many classes recently?"

Baekhyun swallowed deeply, he still hadn't figured out a response yet. He felt beads of sweat building on his skin, the time passing agonizingly slow as his brother stared at him waiting for an answer.

"The school has written off a few of them, owing them to emergencies with the war. But the majority of them have no excuse. Baekhyun, what is going on here?"

"I apologize, it's my fault. I asked him to leave class with me." Sehun suddenly answered.

Dongwon looked over at Sehun, it didn't take him long to make an assumption about what that meant. He turned off his phone and placed it on the table, staring at Baekhyun with concern.

"This is more out of control than I thought... If this keeps up, I will have to tell Mother."

Baekhyun's eyes dimmed, still not brave enough to look up at his brother.

"I'm going to give you a chance to show me you can at least be responsible and act appropriately in public. I'll be keeping an eye on your records. Please don't let me down."


	29. Out of Control

The room went dark after the movie Sehun and Baekhyun were watching was over, but they had missed the ending. Without the sound of the TV, the room was now only filled with Baekhyun's high pitched breaths and the squeaking of the bed.

The subtle touching of hands and rubbing of feet didn't last long until they both became distracted by each other. A pile of clothing ended up on the floor as they ripped them off, kissing each other wildly as they exposed their skin. Baekhyun was desperate to give Sehun the attention he promised earlier, and quickly migrated down to grab his penis, shoving it in his mouth. He moaned as he sucked hard on Sehun, too horny himself to tease him with any foreplay. Sehun groaned as he stared down at Baekhyun and watched his mouth slip up and down his penis.

"You really like sucking me, don't you?"

Baekhyun pulled Sehun out of his mouth, stroking him with his tongue as he moved away. He breathed deeply as he looked up into Sehun's eyes.

"I told you, I love it."

Sehun shuddered as Baekhyun shoved his penis back inside his mouth. He realized he was going to finish too quickly if he let Baekhyun continue, he wanted it to last longer. He wanted Baekhyun to finish with him. He pulled Baekhyun off of him, shoving him down and grabbing him aggressively to flip him over. Baekhyun moaned and clenched onto the sheets as Sehun entered him, moving at a slower pace than Baekhyun's body desired. Baekhyun began to move his hips to try and increase the speed, and Sehun moved a little faster to accommodate him.

"Oh my god I've never been this horny." Baekhyun bit down onto the sheets as he grabbed himself, "We are so out of control and I love it."

Sehun smirked as he listened to the sound of Baekhyun working himself, "You're going to finish too quickly if you do that."

Baekhyun took a few heavy breaths, pumping his penis at the same rhythm of Sehun's thrusting, "I can't take it, I'm too horny."

Sehun suddenly shoved Baekhyun forward, falling flat onto the bed. Their sweaty bodies slipped across each other as Sehun shoved himself deep inside Baekhyun over and over. Baekhyun pointed his toes as he moaned loudly, desperately squeezing himself to relieve some of his tension, no longer able to work his penis now that he was pressed against the sheets. The headboard smacked against the wall with each violent thrust Sehun made.

"Right there!" Baekhyun screamed, clenching tighter onto himself as Sehun continued to ram into him, the sound of his loud moans trapped in the sheets, "Uhhhh Right there!!"

The loud hammering of the bed smacking against the wall only lasted a few more moments before it suddenly came to a halt. Sehun remained deep inside Baekhyun, both of them gripping tightly onto whatever their hands were grabbing as they groaned together, Baekhyun writhing a little as he let out his last pleasurable breath. Sehun collapsed on top of him, both of them breathing heavily after reaching their climax.

Baekhyun swallowed, wetting his dry panting mouth as he closed his eyes. Sehun gently caressed his arm as he relaxed on top of him for a long moment.

"...Sehun...we don't have to stop sneaking out of class to have sex with each other...We'll just have to go fast...I love it too much..."

Sehun smirked as he pulled out of Baekhyun to lay next to him, staring into his eyes, "You like it that much?"

Baekhyun bit on his lip as he continued his labored breath, "Yes, I love being naughty with you. It was naughty before just sneaking out of class, but now that my brother has actually forbid me from doing it, it makes it even better."

Sehun laughed, "What if we get in trouble?"

Baekhyun licked his lips, "We won't, I know no one will catch you."

Sehun continued smirking, making a decision inside his mind. If that's what Baekhyun wanted, Sehun was determined to give it to him. Even though he had to wait to tell Baekhyun how he felt, he still wanted to make Baekhyun happy. Besides, he enjoyed being naughty just as much as Baekhyun did. He was going to make these next few days fun before he told Baekhyun the big news.  
  
  


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"Baekhyun, I'd like to talk to you alone." Dongwon spoke quietly as he reached for Baekhyun's arm to slow him down.

Sehun overheard Dongwon's words and glanced at Baekhyun momentarily before walking ahead without him. They were making their way to a good spot to set up their picnic, walking on a beaten path together through the trees. Baekhyun slowed down his pace to stay at the back with his brother.

Baekhyun spoke before his brother had a chance to, his face carrying an unusual cold expression, "You want to try and enlighten me, right? Make me understand that I'm being an irrational teenager with just a crush? That I can't possibly understand what love is because I'm too young?"

Dongwon paused, not expecting Baekhyun to articulate his thoughts so abruptly and accurately, "Baekhyun, look, I don't mean to treat you like a child. You'll understand when you get older, but it takes a long time to fully develop who you are as a person. Sometimes you find that you're not the person you used to be, and the person you're in love with falls out of sync with you."

"You don't understand what we've been through together, what we mean to each other." Baekhyun's voice quivered a little as he spoke, "I'll never stop loving him."

Dongwon sighed, "And does he feel the same way?"

Baekhyun hesitated, he hated that he had no response to those words. Baekhyun trusted Sehun, even if he never fully gained back his emotions and never understood what love was, he knew Sehun wouldn't hurt him. He knew Sehun would stay by his side.

"Baekhyun, I'm just trying to protect you. I'm afraid if this doesn't work out you're going to get hurt. It's unsafe to let yourself fall this deeply in love at your age. Things change, people change."

"Just because real love at this age is rare, doesn't mean it's impossible." Baekhyun answered in a firm voice as he looked over at his brother, "Thank you for worrying about me, you've always tried your best to look out for me. But I need you to trust me on this...I know Sehun is the only one for me."

Dongwon let out a long breath and nodded, "All right Baekhyun, I'll leave you alone. Just know that I'll always be here for you."

Baekhyun smiled and nodded back, "I know."  
  
  


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Everyone sat together as they ate lunch on a large picnic blanket, enjoying the view of the park around them. It was a warm day, and birds could be heard chirping in the trees, along with the occasional buzzing of bees as they flew past them. The trees were full of lush green leaves, and the grass was decorated with a few wildflowers. The amount of pictures Baekhyun's sisters took was endless, they couldn't get enough of the beauty surrounding them, along with a few secret photos of Sehun.

Chanyeol and Kyungsoo had stricken them as handsome as well, but they all had already fallen into a deeper infatuation with Sehun, and still ended up fighting over him. Dongwon kept Baekhyun's relationship with Sehun a secret from them, knowing that they were not to be trusted with such important information.

Chanyeol and Kyungsoo had also been informed to keep Baekhyun and Sehun's relationship a secret, but they were too busy with their own thoughts to be concerned with them anyway. Chanyeol had managed to stay away from Kyungsoo until this moment, mortified by his rash actions before their big battle. Both their cheeks were flushed red as they sat next to each other, neither one of them sure what to say.

Dongwon brushed his hands together, knocking off any remaining crumbs from his sandwich, and smiled as he looked over at Baekhyun, "So how about that sparring match? Do you really think you'd take me down that easily?"

Baekhyun lowered his drink, smiling back at his brother, "Yeah I do."

Dongwon suddenly stood up and adjusted his clothes, "Come on."

Baekhyun laughed as he watched him, "Are you sure?"

Dongwon walked over to the grass, standing on it as he waited for Baekhyun, "I'm sure. Come on."

"All right, you asked for it."

Baekhyun walked over to the grass as well, readying himself by standing in a defensive pose. Sehun stared at Baekhyun smiling, he had never really seen him fight much before. He was looking forward to watching this match. Everyone started cheering and laughing as Dongwon got into a defensive pose as well.

"Go easy on me." Dongwon laughed as he stared across at his much smaller and cuter little brother.

Baekhyun smirked, remaining in his calm posture without responding. Dongwon made the first move, attempting to punch at Baekhyun's arm, but Baekhyun quickly dodged. He lightly kicked Dongwon in the chest, smiling as he moved out of range again. Dongwon tried to punch at Baekhyun again, this time moving a little faster, but once again Baekhyun easily dodged. He suddenly lowered to the ground, spinning around to kick out Dongwon's legs. Dongwon fell onto his butt and laughed.

"All right, I give up!"

Sehun smiled as he kept his eyes focused on Baekhyun, honestly feeling a little proud of how competent Baekhyun was at fighting. It made it even more rewarding to Sehun that he dominated Baekhyun in bed.

As Dongwon sat back down, Yoomi looked over at Sehun, speaking cheerfully to him, "Oh, we want to see you fight! Maybe you can spar with Baekhyunie!"

Baekhyun laughed as he remained standing, "He's way stronger than me though."

Sehun smirked as he suddenly stood up, stepping over to stand next to Baekhyun on the grass. Baekhyun smiled as he looked up at him, giving him a secret flirtatious glance.

"Be gentle with me." Baekhyun whispered.

Sehun licked his lips as he continued smirking, slowly getting into his fighting stance. Baekhyun giggled as he did the same.

"I'm really going to try Sehun, I'm not holding back."

Sehun nodded, his expression becoming more serious. Suddenly he rushed forward at Baekhyun, and Baekhyun took a step back before swiftly kicking upward at Sehun's neck. Sehun quickly swatted his leg down, and Baekhyun immediately tried to kick him again, but Sehun dodged. In Baekhyun's moment of weakness, Sehun quickly punched Baekhyun's side, or more like very lightly tapped his fist against his body. Baekhyun laughed as he stepped back.

"You would have broken my ribs just then."

Sehun smirked as he lifted his arms back up into a defensive position. Everyone watched them in awe, the speed of their attacks were much faster than the previous fight, there was a clear difference in skill. Baekhyun had obviously been going easy on his older brother.

Baekhyun lifted his leg in an attempt to kick him again, and Sehun used his leg to kick it back down. Before Baekhyun gained his balance back, Sehun lightly kicked the back of Baekhyun's leg, causing Baekhyun to start falling over. Sehun quickly reached forward to grab Baekhyun's shirt, keeping him from collapsing. Baekhyun looked up at Sehun smiling, biting onto his bottom lip.

Sehun lifted Baekhyun back into a standing position. Baekhyun didn't waste any time attempting to attack him again, he performed a fake kick before quickly spinning around and doing a backwards kick at Sehun's stomach. Sehun grabbed his leg and then turned his body to reach Baekhyun's waist. While keeping a tight hold on him, Sehun hoisted him up. He let go of Baekhyun's leg as he flipped him over in his arms.

Baekhyun giggled as he stared into Sehun's eyes, now being held bridal style in Sehun's strong arms, "No fair."

Everyone started clapping again and the sisters cheered loudly for Sehun, "You're so strong Oh!"

Sehun and Baekhyun spent a moment staring into each other's eyes, smiling at each other warmly as Sehun continued holding him. Dongwon noticed their tender expressions and watched them in concern as they finally sat back down. He really wasn't sure about Sehun yet, especially considering the fact that Sehun made Baekhyun sneak out of class with him. He wanted to talk to him alone as well, to see if he really felt the same as Baekhyun did.

After enjoying their lunch they decided to go on a leisurely hike. They naturally fell into a line, standing near the people they had been conversing with. Baekhyun ended up near the front with his sisters, excited to describe the weather he had been experiencing. Chanyeol and Kyungsoo awkwardly walked together in the middle, both of them wanting to be near each other but neither one of them speaking. Sehun lingered in the back, remaining there after Baekhyun had left him to go converse with his sisters. Dongwon noticed and paused for a moment to lag behind as well.

"I haven't had a chance to speak with you alone yet."

Sehun turned his head to look over at Dongwon, his eyes finally leaving their locked gaze on Baekhyun. Dongwon was staring at him with a stern expression, it was clear he wasn't going to beat around the bush.

"How committed are you to your relationship with Baekhyun?"

Sehun returned his gaze to Baekhyun as he walked far up ahead of them, smiling brightly as he chatted with his sisters. He watched as Baekhyun's eyes squinted as he laughed, and his smile turned into an adorable rectangle.

"Baekhyun means everything to me. I was dead before I met him, I would die again without him."

Dongwon paused in surprise, not expecting to hear such a dramatic confession, "...I see..."

"I don't know very much about love, but I know my feelings for him will never change. It's impossible for me to explain how much Baekhyun has done for me."

Dongwon stared at him curiously, he didn't remember Baekhyun hinting at anything like this, "...Done for you?"

Sehun remained silent for a long moment, continuing to stare at Baekhyun, "...Before I met Baekhyun, I was basically a machine, I didn't feel or care about anything. My missions were my only purpose. The rebels wanted to create an ultimate weapon...A warrior who didn't feel kindness or remorse. They genetically altered my genes to suppress my human emotions."

Dongwon's eyes widened in disbelief, shocked to hear something so dark and cruel about the organization his family had been supporting. He realized there were always dirty secrets lingering behind the curtains of war, but he never imagined something like this was possible.

"...I can't imagine that...seeing how you are now..."

"...That's because of Baekhyun. Baekhyun has been trying his best to regain those lost feelings of mine, he's made me human again."

Dongwon looked over at Baekhyun as well, his eyes softening at the sight of his cheerful little brother. Baekhyun was practically glowing with joy, there really was no beauty like that of a person who was in love.

"...I think I'm starting to understand..." Dongwon took a deep breath and stared back over at Sehun, "Have you told him how you feel?"

"Not yet. I want to make it special. I have something in mind, but it's not good timing right now."

Dongwon laughed a little, "Sorry, did we mess that up for you?"

Sehun remained silent, although he wanted to answer yes, he knew that would be rude. Dongwon could tell Sehun was trying his best to be polite, he was used to seeing people act this way, being a member of royalty.

He put his hand on Sehun's shoulder, giving it a firm squeeze, "You have my blessings."  
  
  


——————————————

 

That night as they said farewell to Baekhyun's family, Baekhyun hugged each of his siblings. As the sisters were busy speaking with Sehun, Dongwon spoke to Baekhyun quietly.

"I wanted to apologize Baekhyun. Oh told me a little about what you've done for him."

Baekhyun tilted his head, not even realizing that they had spoken alone together, "He did?"

Dongwon nodded, staring at Baekhyun thoughtfully, "I'm sorry I judged you earlier, it seems like their is a lot more to your story than I realized. I shouldn't have automatically assumed I knew what you were going through."

Baekhyun smiled, pausing for a moment in happiness, "Thanks Hyung."

Dongwon smiled in return, placing his hand on Baekhyun's shoulder affectionately, "I hope everything works out for you."

Sehun returned to Baekhyun's side, trying his best to escape the sisters non stop questions. Dongwon lowered his hand and coughed a little as he changed the subject.

"Remember, we have a meeting with Princess Yoon Nari tomorrow. You better behave yourself at school. I don't want to hear any strange reports."

Baekhyun nodded, "You won't."

The chauffeur opened the door to their limo and Dongwon stepped down inside, followed by his sisters. Baekhyun bit his lip as he secretly glanced over at Sehun, mouthing the words, "Just go fast."

Sehun smirked at him, licking his lips as he shrugged his eyebrows slightly. Baekhyun had no idea what Sehun had already planned for them. If Baekhyun wanted to be naughty, Sehun was going to give him the naughtiest experience of his life. It would be their last hurrah before Sehun told him how he felt, after all, if Baekhyun knew his feelings it would probably make it less dangerous.

Dongwon rolled down his window, staring at Baekhyun again, "Our meeting should be over around six, we'll see you then."

Baekhyun nodded, "See you then."  
  
  


——————————————

 

Baekhyun tapped his pencil on his paper looking rather bored. He still wasn't fully awake yet, and the teacher's words were lost on him as they continued speaking. It wasn't until the teacher started handing out an assignment that Baekhyun finally started to pay attention, grabbing the paper from the person in front of him.

Baekhyun stared down at the sheet in front of him, the questions on the test pertaining to balancing equations. Baekhyun only half knew the right method, and scribbled on the page as he attempted to figure out the answer.

It wasn't that Baekhyun wasn't smart, if he actually tried he could pass the class. However, he didn't want to worry about mathematical equations and other complicated things, he wanted to enjoy life. After all, each day was a gift, there was no guarantee he would see tomorrow considering his life as a soldier.

He was pulled out of his concentration once he received a text. He very carefully went to check his phone under his desk, happily waiting for this message all morning. Sure enough, it was from Sehun, but it wasn't the text he was anticipating.

_Sehun:_  
_We should throw a going away party for your family. ___

__Baekhyun stared at it in surprise, taken with how thoughtful Sehun was being. ____

_Baekhyun:_  
_That's a great idea! Why didn't I think of that?_

_Sehun:_  
_We can invite Park and Do too._

__Baekhyun paused and stared at the texts smiling. It seemed like Sehun had really picked up on what was important to him._ _

_Baekhyun:_  
_Ok! Sounds fun! What should I make?_

_Sehun:_  
_Anything is fine._

_Baekhyun:_  
_Ok, I'll try to think of something_

__Baekhyun left the chat and started looking up some recipes on his phone. He only had a chance to look at a few options before another text appeared at the top of his screen._ _

_Sehun:_  
_When everyone is there, I want you to go in the bedroom._

__Baekhyun opened his mouth in shock, reading the words slowly. In his astonishment he missed the chance to click on the text and had to return to the chat manually. He expected the message to be different when he read it again, thinking he had seen it wrong, but it was exactly the same. He paused for a moment before a smirk appeared on his face, realizing this actually was the text he had been waiting for._ _

_Baekhyun:_  
_Should I get naked?_

_Sehun:_  
_Yes. Lay on the bed and wait patiently for me._

__Baekhyun bit his lip, reading the words over a few times before he started to respond._ _

_Baekhyun:_  
_Don't make me wait too long_

__Baekhyun watched the ellipsis appear as Sehun started typing again, his heartbeat matching the pulsing of the small dots._ _

_Sehun:_  
_I'm going to take as long as I want. I like the idea of you laying there naked waiting for me._

__Baekhyun took a deep breath and closed his eyes, the words Sehun wrote him were even more arousing than he hoped they would be._ _

_Baekhyun:_  
_You're such a tease_

_Sehun:_  
_When I decide to come in, you're not allowed to move._

_Baekhyun:_  
_Should I close my eyes?_

_Sehun:_  
_No. Look in the mirror. I want you to watch what I'm doing to you._

Baekhyun shuddered, a slight chill crawling up his spine as he read Sehun's words. 

_Baekhyun:_  
_Are you going to play with me?_

_Sehun:_  
_I'm going to do what I want with you. No matter what, you have to stay quiet._

Baekhyun licked his lips, closing his eyes again as he imagined the situation. 

_Baekhyun:_  
_Oh my god please try to make me scream_

_Sehun:_  
_I'll make you scream, I'll make you tremble, I'll make you wish you could beg for more._

__Baekhyun only had a short moment to read the words before he quickly turned off his phone as another student passed by his desk. He waited for them to sit back down before he opened the chat again._ _

_Baekhyun:_  
_Don't play with me too long, everyone will get suspicious_

_Sehun:_  
_I don't care. I'm going to take my time enjoying you. It doesn't even matter if you do beg, I'm going to go as slow as I want._

_Baekhyun:_  
_You're so dirty_

_Sehun:_  
_Even if they knock at the door, I'm not going to stop._

_Baekhyun took another deep breath, the fantasy of it getting him more excited than he should have allowed himself in the middle of class._

_Baekhyun:_  
_Tell me what you're going to do to me_

_Sehun:_  
_First I just want to look at you, I want to memorize every part of you._

_Baekhyun:_  
_Can I touch you?_

_Sehun:_  
_No, I want to experience you slowly._

_Baekhyun:_  
_It will be hard for me to resist you_

_Sehun:_  
_I'll be angry if you don't listen to me, don't make me punish you._

Baekhyun paused and shivered a little, trying his best to imagine Sehun's voice saying that to him. 

_Baekhyun:  
_What if I'm good?_ _

_Sehun:  
_I'll caress you, every part of you. Even parts of you I've never touched before._ _

__Baekhyun's heart throbbed as he swallowed deeply, knowing very well what Sehun was referring to. His hands started shaking a little as he typed his response._ _

_Baekhyun:_  
_I'll be good, I promise_

_Sehun:_  
_Then I want to smell you, that smell that drives me crazy. I just want to eat you._

__Baekhyun paused biting his lip, he was loving how open Sehun was being with his thoughts. He wondered if Sehun had an easier time expressing himself with writing._ _

_Baekhyun:_  
_Go ahead and eat me_

_Sehun:_  
_I can't, not yet. I'll just taste you first._

_Baekhyun:_  
_Won't you be so hungry?_

_Sehun:_  
_Not for long. I want to listen to you next, your muffled voice as you bite your lip and try not to scream._

__Baekhyun took a few deep breaths, he was in no mental condition to pay attention to class anymore, or the rest of the school day._ _

_Baekhyun:_  
_I want you so much right now_

_Sehun:_  
_You have to wait until the party._

Baekhyun closed his eyes and tightly bit on his bottom lip. Today was going to be torturous for him. He read over their conversation a few more times before he went to his other contacts, texting them all in a group chat.

_Baekhyun:_  
_I want to throw you all a going away party tonight!_


	30. Look, Touch, Smell, Taste, Listen

Quiet music filled their small dorm room as Baekhyun's siblings and the other Exo Pilots stood together next to a buffet of food. Everyone was dressed in nice clothes, despite the low-key atmosphere of the party. Baekhyun had very little time to get everything ready, and had to ask Sehun to go to the store to buy some party plates and cups while he cooked everything.

They maintained separate conversations with each other, Baekhyun talking to his brother along with Chanyeol, Kyungsoo, and Minji; and Sehun getting barraged by Baekhyun's other two sisters.

"We're so sad today it's our last day here! We're going to miss you both so much!"

"You really will try to visit us right?" Sunhee added.

Sehun nodded, he was actually interested to see Baekhyun's home. He really hoped they would go there together one day. It would be interesting to see Baekhyun being treated like the Prince he really was.

"Thanks for throwing us this party Baekhyun." Dongwon smiled after taking a sip from his paper cup, something he had never drank out of before.

Baekhyun smiled back at him, "Actually, it was Sehun's idea."

Kyungsoo stared at Baekhyun in surprise, but he didn't say anything feeling awkward with Baekhyun's siblings there. Dongwon meanwhile appreciated the act of kindness from Sehun, and looked over at him with a smile.

Minji took a bite of her food and looked up at Baekhyun with wide eyes and a sound of pleasure, "Your cooking is so good! You need to give us cooking lessons next time!"

Baekhyun nodded, "Sure, that would be fun."

Sunhee overheard Minji, and continued her conversation with Sehun, finding something new to talk about.

"You know they say food is the way to a man's heart."

Yoomi giggled a little, easily figuring out where her sister was going with this, "What about you Oh?"

Sehun paused for a moment as he glanced over at Baekhyun talking to his other siblings. He had never thought about it before, but honestly Baekhyun's food was a big help in getting close to each other. He wondered if that's what Baekhyun's intention was.

"I guess so."

Sehun watched as Baekhyun bowed slightly to his brother before walking away, making his way down the hall towards the bedroom. Sehun licked his lips as Baekhyun disappeared out of sight.

"What's your ideal type?"

Dongwon and the others turned their attention to Sehun now that Baekhyun was gone. Dongwon sighed once he heard the question his sisters were asking Sehun, embarrassed by how obvious they were. Sehun thought for a short moment as everyone's eyes were on him.

"Someone who cherishes life, and would enjoy simple things with me...like watching the sunrise...or playing hide and seek...or standing out in the pouring rain."

The sister's eyes practically filled with sparkles, Sehun's words far more charming than they expected them to be. Chanyeol and Kyungsoo were also caught off guard by Sehun's response, considering all they knew about his relationship with Baekhyun. It certainly wasn't innocent in their eyes. They shared a secret glance, wondering if the other was also surprised.

"That's so romantic!!" Sunhee and Minji squealed.

"I hope you find someone like that!" Yoomi added, fantasizing that she might be that person in the future.

Sehun smiled and nodded, glancing over at the hallway where Baekhyun had disappeared. He smirked, imagining that Baekhyun was probably getting undressed at this moment.

"What about height? A lot of guys care about that."

"I like short."

The sisters giggled, pleased with Sehun's answer again, considering they all fit in that demographic.

"Really? Most guys like tall girls."

"I like it when they are small, it makes me feel like protecting them."

The sisters all made an audible sigh, "Awww, that's cute."

Sehun took a bite of his food and looked back over at the hallway. He smirked again as he chewed slowly, making sure to take his time eating.

Dongwon distracted his sisters, beginning another conversation as Sehun continued eating. The conversation was maintained mostly by Baekhyun's siblings, none of the Exo Pilots having anything to add. Chanyeol and Kyungsoo stole a secret glance at each other again, and they both blushed once they were caught. Chanyeol cleared his throat, building up the courage to speak.

"Hey."

"Hey." Kyungsoo answered nervously.

There was a moment of awkward silence as they listened to the other conversation. Chanyeol took a deep breath before he suddenly reached for Kyungsoo's hand, holding onto it tightly. Kyungsoo's face turned more red, wrapping his fingers around Chanyeol's hand as well. They stood silently together, both their palms sweating as they continued holding hands. Chanyeol let out a quiet sigh, relieved that Kyungsoo was allowing this. Obviously his feelings must have been similar to his own.

"So...Do you want to go out together sometime? ...Like on a date?"

Kyungsoo smiled, the words he had been waiting for finally coming out, "We've already been on a few, haven't we?"

Chanyeol laughed a little, "Yeah, I guess so."

Kyungsoo glared over at him, using his other hand to yank on Chanyeol's ear, "You guess so?"

Chanyeol made a quiet groan of pain as Kyungsoo continued tugging on him, "Ok ok, they were dates!"

Kyungsoo let go of his ear, "You better take me on a really good one next time."

"I will, I will, I promise." Chanyeol spoke in a pathetic voice.

Kyungsoo smiled and turned his attention back to Baekhyun's family. It didn't matter where Chanyeol took him, as long as they were both officially considering it a date he would be happy.

Dongwon went off for a good ten or fifteen minutes discussing politics and the current situation in outer space. Most of his focus was on the large battleship called Libra that OZ had been constructing. The sisters were obviously bored with the topic, and kept themselves entertained by staring at Sehun and whispering to each other.

Sehun savored the last bites of his food, smirking as he imagined Baekhyun waiting for him, probably going crazy. He placed down his plate once he had finished everything on it, and bowed to everyone slightly as he began talking.

"Sorry, excuse me for a moment. I need to see if Baekhyun is all right."

"Oh, he has been missing for a while now, I hope everything is ok."

Sehun walked away slowly, making his way towards the music speaker before going down the hallway. His hand landed on the top button, turning up the volume a few notches before he turned the corner. It wasn't until he was out of everyone's view that he allowed a smirk to creep back onto his face. He walked down the hallway slowly, hoping that Baekhyun could hear his every step.

Baekhyun's heart throbbed once he finally heard the sound, each tap of Sehun's shoes making his chest grow tighter. He felt like he had been waiting for hours. He turned his head once the door creaked opened, and witnessed Sehun smirking at him.

Sehun stared at Baekhyun's small naked body laying on the bed, his eyes were beaming with a mixture of slight frustration and excitement. Just what Sehun was hoping for. He stepped into the room and closed the door behind him, locking it with a loud click. Baekhyun smirked back at him and opened his mouth slightly to start speaking. Sehun noticed and abruptly started talking as his hands moved to undo his tie.

"Don't talk. You said you would be good, remember? I don't want to punish you."

Baekhyun bit his lip, stopping himself from uttering any sound as he watched Sehun strip himself. It seemed like Sehun was going slowly on purpose, continuing to stare at Baekhyun as he carefully undid each button on his shirt. Baekhyun wiggled a little, the anticipation building up inside him beyond what he could handle, it was even worse now that he was staring at Sehun's bare chest.

Sehun spent less time on the rest of his clothes, dropping his pants to the floor before finally making his way over to Baekhyun. He climbed on top of Baekhyun and hovered over him, making sure not to touch him. Baekhyun took a deep breath, feeling vulnerable under Sehun's intense gaze.

Sehun's eyes began to scan his body, memorizing each part just like he intended to. He took his time slowly moving his attention over each part of Baekhyun's exposed skin. Baekhyun stared at Sehun's body as well, admiring his strong muscles and overall perfect physique. The festivities from the party could be heard outside the door, the music overlaid with laughter as everyone continued conversing with each other.

Once Sehun was done, he locked eyes with Baekhyun and smirked at him with a seductive expression. Baekhyun bit his lip and clenched his hands on the bedsheets, excited for the next part.

"Look in the mirror."

Baekhyun took a deep breath and rolled his head to the side to watch Sehun in the reflection of the large closet doors. He admired the sight of Sehun crouched over him, never actually witnessing the sight of them naked together before.

Sehun slowly raised one of his hands and lightly grazed Baekhyun's skin, touching his belly button with his fingertips. Baekhyun shivered from his touch, his body longing for the sensation. Sehun's hand migrated up Baekhyun's body, barely skimming along the surface until he reached Baekhyun's nipple. Baekhyun bit down hard on his lip as he watched Sehun's every movement.

"I'm not going to leave one part of you untouched by me."

Baekhyun gulped, Sehun's words causing his erection to throb. His entire body tensed up, naturally trying to compensate for the lack of attention he was receiving.

"Your body belongs to me. Every inch of you is mine."

Sehun's hand slowly began exploring his body again, moving his hand to his shoulder, and then his arm, making sure to touch every part of it. Baekhyun relaxed, almost wilting as he let out a weak breath. A loud eruption of laughter was suddenly heard in the other room, but Sehun didn't falter, his hand continued wandering to Baekhyun's hands. After gently caressing each digit, Sehun reached in-between his fingers and touched every crevice.

Baekhyun watched as Sehun moved to his other shoulder, placing down his palm as he dragged it across Baekhyun's soft skin. Baekhyun clenched his body up tight, trying to keep himself together as he waited for Sehun to repeat the same process on the other side of his body.

Sehun noticed Baekhyun struggling and smirked to himself. He lifted his hand off for a moment before gently placing it on Baekhyun's neck, skimming upwards towards his cheek. He lightly caressed Baekhyun's flushed cheeks, using the back of his hand to gently pet him. Baekhyun relaxed further into the bed, the light touch intoxicating him into a dreamlike state of mind.

Sehun's fingertips slowly wandered to Baekhyun's lips, tracing the shape of them gently as he stared at them with deep affection. He pressed down on them as if to kiss them with the pad of his finger before moving upward on his face. He grazed past his nose and gently landed on his eyelids, Baekhyun slowly closed his eyes as he allowed Sehun to skim over them.

He opened his eyes again once he felt Sehun migrate to his eyebrows, petting them softly before brushing his hand across his forehead. Sehun's hand slipped into Baekhyun's hair, touching every part of his scalp and causing Baekhyun to shiver as the gentle tug on his hair made his skin tingle.

Sehun finally lifted his other hand, joining in the effort to touch every part of Baekhyun's head before they both slid down to Baekhyun's ears, caressing them simultaneously. He slipped down to Baekhyun's neck again, grazing over it slowly before sneaking under Baekhyun's body to caress his back. His hands pressed harder against the skin of his back, the weight of Baekhyun laying on top of them pushing them close. Baekhyun bit his lip as he felt Sehun's hands pull on his skin as he moved down to his butt. His large hands easily cupped each cheek, and he squeezed them tightly. Baekhyun's back arched a little, even just the tight squeeze from Sehun's hands making him go wild inside.

He pulled his hands out from under Baekhyun to travel to his legs, slightly gripping on his feminine thighs as he moved downward slowly. Baekhyun continued watching in the mirror, trying his best to memorize the way it felt as Sehun touched each part of him. Sehun lowered himself and grabbed Baekhyun's ankles to lift up his legs, caressing them gently as he stared at Baekhyun's face. As his fingertips ran along the inside of Baekhyun''s thighs, he felt Baekhyun shudder, his face clearly showing that he was falling apart inside.

Sehun moved both his hands off Baekhyun, leaving him stranded for a moment as he stared down at him. He smirked as he watched Baekhyun's hands tightly grip onto the bedsheets, his body desperately longing for Sehun's contact. There was only one place left Sehun hadn't touched him yet.

Baekhyun's entire body trembled as he watched Sehun's hand closely, drawing nearer to his penis. He pressed his lips together tightly, trying to prevent a sound coming out as Sehun's fingers lightly touched the tip. Sehun started to slowly skim his fingers down his shaft, and Baekhyun threw his head back, still watching Sehun in the mirror as he abused his lip with a forceful bite. Sehun continued to skim over every part of it, making sure not to grab it. He caressed the tip with his thumb, moving in a circle. Baekhyun trembled again as he bit down harder on his lip, muffling a quiet breath. Sehun looked up at him and smirked, ceasing his hand from moving.

"Don't make me angry."

Baekhyun took a deep breath as he continued biting his lip, closing his eyes for a moment to try and calm himself. He felt a shift in the bed as Sehun scooted upward again, getting closer to his face. Sehun lowered his face into Baekhyun's neck, smelling him deeply as he held onto his waist. Baekhyun opened his eyes as he looked back over at the mirror, moving his head to expose more of his neck. He breathed heavily as he stared at Sehun, his penis could still feel the lingering touch of Sehun's caress.

"When I'm done, only a trace of your scent will be left."

Baekhyun swallowed deeply, shivering as he felt Sehun's tongue press against his neck. He melted as Sehun continued to stroke him with his tongue, quickly moving downward to skim across his chest, finding his nipples. Baekhyun raised his chest in reaction to Sehun suddenly biting on them, his erection throbbing again from the teasing sensation.

Sehun pulled away and began kissing his body, slowly moving his head to gently press his lips against different parts of Baekhyun's skin. He lowered himself until he was kissing Baekhyun's abs, the proximity to Baekhyun's penis making him shiver with each kiss.

Sehun looked over at the mirror to make eye contact with Baekhyun and smirk at him. Baekhyun's expression was weak, and it only melted more once Sehun stared into his eyes.

"You're right, I am really hungry."

Baekhyun didn't have enough time to mentally prepare himself before Sehun suddenly grabbed his penis. He watched Sehun's tongue sneak out of his mouth, sticking to his head before his mouth wrapped around him.

Baekhyun's back arched again as he rolled his head back and forth, trying to do everything in his power to prevent himself from making a loud moan. He grabbed a fistful of blankets and shoved them into his mouth, biting down on them hard as he groaned.

Sehun knew Baekhyun wouldn't be able to last long, he had already worked him up too much. As much as he wanted to play with him, he only sucked on him a few times before pulling away, staring down at Baekhyun's writhing body as he continued to battle any sound from escaping his throat. Sehun smirked at the sight of Baekhyun biting down onto a mouthful of sheets, he really was on the verge of losing it.

Sehun grabbed onto Baekhyun's body and gently rolled him over onto his stomach. He began to gently kiss his back, and Baekhyun rolled his head to the side again to watch Sehun in the mirror. He weakly exhaled as he watched Sehun grab onto his waist and lower down on top of him.

Sehun entered Baekhyun slowly, watching as Baekhyun injured his lip with another violent bite from his teeth. Sehun smirked as he watched his face closely, Baekhyun's teeth bit down harder on his lip with each gradual thrust he made. Sehun moaned deeply into Baekhyun's ear, the sight of Baekhyun desperately trying to stay quiet only making him more and more aroused. He wanted to break him.

He shoved his length deep inside Baekhyun, remembering Baekhyun's sensitive spot. Baekhyun immediately buried his head in the sheets, biting on them as he did his best to muffle his voice. Sehun stopped moving, continuing to stare at Baekhyun in the mirror.

"Keep watching."

Baekhyun's chest raised a few times with breaths of air before he slowly rolled his head back to look at Sehun again. Sehun stared deeply into his eyes, his gaze made Baekhyun's heart tighten.

"I want to watch your face the whole time, don't hide it from me."

Baekhyun swallowed deeply as Sehun started moving again, still going at a slow pace. Sehun was going to play with Baekhyun as long as he wanted, ignoring the amount of time they had already been missing from the party. They could still hear the murmur of everyone's collective voices, speaking to each other softly in the other room. Inside the bedroom only the slight squeaking of the bed could be heard, and Sehun's occasional moans as he humped Baekhyun slowly.

He could feel Baekhyun try to shove himself up to make Sehun go faster, but Sehun only pushed him down harder, continuing his heavy movement. He stared at the fistful of bedsheets crumpled up in Baekhyun's hands, his fingers clenching sporadically onto them as his body writhed with desire underneath Sehun.

At last Sehun finally decided to end Baekhyun's longing, and pulled him up to kneel. He gripped onto Baekhyun's waist tightly before ramming into him fast and hard. Baekhyun bit down on his lip harshly, and tried to muffle a loud scream, but he failed. His voice escaped into the room with a sudden burst of sound. Sehun moaned in response to finally breaking Baekhyun, his screams continuing to fill the room as Sehun humped him violently.  
  
  


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Kyungsoo walked down the hallway with an extremely irritated expression, he couldn't believe Baekhyun would disappear for this long while his family was there. He approached the bedroom door and tried to open it, but quickly discovered it was locked. He started to knock on it loudly, pounding on it in his frustration.

Sehun and Baekhyun both heard the knocking, and Sehun thrust into Baekhyun harder than before, increasing the volume of Baekhyun's screams as he rammed into his sensitive gland over and over again.

Kyungsoo noticed a sound and pressed his ear against the door to listen better, covering his other ear to cancel out the music playing in the other room. Baekhyun's voice became easy to hear, screaming loudly in time with the fast paced creaking of the bed. Kyungsoo shot away from the door, his mouth opening wide in disbelief. He was in shock, of all times, Baekhyun would even have sex with Sehun during his family's going away party?

He took a deep breath before walking away, trying to ignore the faint sound of Baekhyun's voice. Everyone was waiting for him in the other room, waiting to hear what happened to Baekhyun and Sehun. He needed to come up with an answer fast, and cursed Baekhyun inside his mind for doing this to him.

"Is everything all right?" Minji asked once she spotted Kyungsoo.

Kyungsoo paused pressing his lips together, "...Yes, they're fine. Byun just broke something in the bathroom, they're cleaning it up."

Minji smiled, "Oh is so sweet to help him, I'm sure he doesn't want Baekhyunie to miss too much of the party."

Kyungsoo tried his best to hide his furious expression, knowing the truth behind that fact all too horribly well. Sehun was definitely not concerned about Baekhyun missing the party. Chanyeol approached Kyungsoo and whispered to him quietly as the sisters began talking to each other again, noticing the upset look on Kyungsoo's face.

"What's going on? You look upset."

Kyungsoo looked back at him and whispered angrily, "They're having sex! _Right now!_ "

Chanyeol's eyes widened in shock, "Are you serious?"

Kyungsoo took a deep furious breath, "Yes. I'm going to give them a piece of my mind after this party!"  
  
  


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"Se-Sehun!!" Baekhyun cried as Sehun continued to aggressively hump him.

Sehun watched Baekhyun in the mirror, desperately holding on to the bed as he rocked him forward. He could tell just by looking at him, Baekhyun was on the verge of his orgasm. Sehun smirked as he slowed down, purposely avoiding Baekhyun's sweet spot.

Baekhyun writhed a little, desperately trying to move his hips and continue the build up of his climax. But Sehun was holding onto him tightly, making sure they maintained a slow pace.

"Oh god Sehun please..." Baekhyun weakly spoke as he buried his head, realizing Sehun was playing with him.

"I told you, it doesn't matter how much you beg." Sehun smirked as he continued slowly humping him, only going partially inside before pulling out again. "I'm going to take my time enjoying you."

Baekhyun clenched up around Sehun's penis, his body craving for more than Sehun was giving him. Sehun groaned, digging his nails into the soft flesh of Baekhyun's waist, unintentionally going deeper inside Baekhyun in response to the pleasure of his tight fit. Baekhyun continued to squeeze his muscles, letting out a long moan as Sehun shoved deep inside him, grazing his gland again. His body trembled, clenching even harder on Sehun once his full length was inside him.

Sehun barely moved, Baekhyun's squeeze on him making it hard for him to resist keeping his full length inside. He merely ground his hips up against Baekhyun's body, moaning deeply as he clenched onto Baekhyun's waist. He gradually regained his movement, pushing hard in and out of Baekhyun, groaning with each heavy thrust. Each time he went back in, he shoved himself as deep as he could inside, and remained there for a short time before moving again.

Baekhyun eventually loosened his muscles once Sehun finally started moving again. Sehun responded by moving faster, making up for the loss of the tight fit. They both become lost in the need for each other, and moaned loudly together as Sehun returned to humping him aggressively.

The slapping sound of their skin could be heard as Sehun took his time to thrust himself hard and deep into Baekhyun over and over. Baekhyun let out a long cry of muddled sounds as he lowered his head into the sheets, finally reaching his climax. His body shook in exhaustion as Sehun clenched onto him tightly, finishing inside him with a deep groan.

They both breathed heavily as Sehun lowered the front of his body to relax on Baekhyun. He placed a few gentle kisses on Baekhyun's back in-between the puffs of air Baekhyun could feel on his skin from his labored breathing.

Baekhyun slowly lowered to melt into the sheets, his body finally collapsing onto the bed, his face still submerged in the bedsheets. Sehun pulled out of him and caressed his body before laying down next to him. He watched Baekhyun's chest fill with large breaths of air, his body still slightly trembling.

Eventually Baekhyun rolled his head to look over at Sehun at with a smirk, "That was so fucking sexy."

Sehun smirked back at him and raised his hand to continue caressing Baekhyun's back. He watched his own hand as it glided across Baekhyun's slightly damp skin.

"I have to know. What was the punishment if I was bad?"

"I would stop touching you and masturbate as I looked at you."

Baekhyun smirked, biting onto his lip for a moment as he stared at him, "You really are so dirty...I feel like you've gotten even naughtier lately though. Do you get a thrill out of dangerous situations?"

Sehun laughed, "I guess you could say that. I'm sure I'm addicted to adrenaline rushes."

Baekhyun let out a small laugh as well, "Yeah, I probably am too."

Sehun smiled, a tender expression suddenly appearing on his face, "I like it normal too though. It doesn't have to be like this."

Baekhyun smiled back at him, his expression turning soft from Sehun's words, "Me too."

They laid quietly for short a while, staring into each other's eyes. Baekhyun rolled his head slightly, continuing to shyly lock eyes with Sehun and gaze at him affectionally. Sehun admired his warm expression, he desperately wanted to tell Baekhyun, tell him just how much he loved him. This wasn't how he imagined confessing though, he had to remind himself of the way he wanted to tell Baekhyun. He took a deep breath, admiring the way Baekhyun looked laying next to him before he sat up.

"Come on, we've been gone for a long time."

Baekhyun sighed happily, "...I know...A crazy sexy long time..."

Sehun laughed, "Let's hope it wasn't your brother knocking on the door."

Sehun got out of bed and grabbed Baekhyun's hand to help him stand. They quickly started getting dressed and Baekhyun went to the bathroom to fix his hair in the mirror. He noticed Sehun's hair was a mess as well, and came over to help him once he was done fixing his own. He began to adjust Sehun's clothes, grabbing his tie from Sehun and tightening it for him. Sehun watched him closely, letting his arms fall to his sides as Baekhyun continued to fiddle with his tie. Baekhyun suddenly noticed Sehun's intense gaze, and looked up into his eyes. He paused, suddenly feeling nervous from the way Sehun was staring at him. It reminded him of the way Sehun used to look at him.

"...That way you stare at me...It makes me so nervous..."

Sehun continued to stare at him with the same intense expression, "Why?"

"...Your eyes are just so focused on me..."

"They are focused on you."

"...I know...but...I feel so naked..."

Sehun smirked and his eyelids dropped a little, "That's because I'm slowly undressing you in my mind."

Baekhyun felt his heart throb. He slowly smiled, biting onto his lip flirtatiously. Sehun raised his hand and grabbed Baekhyun's cheek, pulling his head close to him to whisper into his ear. Baekhyun melted and closed his eyes.

"Or I'm slowly kissing you, enjoying the taste of your lips."

Baekhyun rolled his head back a little and took a deep breath, "What were you doing just then?"

"Both."

Baekhyun weakly raised his hands and held onto Sehun's shirt, melting back against the dresser behind him. He spoke to Sehun in a quiet voice, his body already feeling weak.

"Kiss me."

Sehun smirked and stepped away, "We need to get back to the party."

Baekhyun's eyes remained closed as he collected himself for a moment. He took a deep breath before opening them to stare at Sehun. Sehun smirked at him and then turned to walk away. Baekhyun bit his lip and watched him briefly before following him.  
  
  


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Everyone watched as Sehun and Baekhyun came walking out to the main room to join the party again. They quickly scanned everyone's faces, seeing if they could tell who might have been knocking, and immediately noticed the disgruntled look on Kyungsoo's face.

"There you are! We were getting worried about you!" Minji smiled.

Kyungsoo quickly spoke to them in a threatening voice, "Were you able to _clean up_ everything _in the bathroom_ all right?"

Baekhyun laughed a little in discomfort, "...Yeah, sorry, it was a huge mess."

Kyungsoo continued glaring at him, and Baekhyun uncomfortably moved his eyes to the buffet of food, noticing it was low.

"Oh, let me go get some more snacks from the kitchen. Sorry everyone."

"Let me help you." Kyungsoo quickly offered, his voice still carrying a harsh tone.

Sehun watched as they walked off to the kitchen together, concerned that Baekhyun was going to get cornered and scolded on his own.

"What are you thinking!?" Kyungsoo immediately shouted at Baekhyun once they were alone.

Baekhyun bit his lip, obviously not really regretting his actions, "Like...right now? Or before?"

"Don't play dumb with me. Do you understand how angry I am right now?"

Baekhyun waved his hands, "Ok ok, calm down. It was Sehun's idea."

"And you agreed?!"

"Of course I agreed." Baekhyun paused and sighed in joy, "You should see the texts he sent me...Oh my God..."

Kyungsoo hesitated as he took a long breath, his veins starting to pop up a little in his frustration, "You mean you planned it out!? I was really hoping maybe something did happen to you in there and Sehun just suddenly attacked you!"

"Is something wrong?" Sehun suddenly asked as he entered the kitchen, noticing the delay and trying his best to come to Baekhyun's rescue.

Kyungsoo's gaze quickly switched over to Sehun, his voice raising as he pointed at him, "Yes! You! You are completely out of control! Who does this?!"

Sehun shrugged his shoulders, "I do. I can't help what I like."

Kyungsoo clenched his fists, "You like everyone here?! Why? Why would you like that?!"

Sehun looked over at Baekhyun and smirked, "Because it's dangerous."

Baekhyun bit on his lip as he stared back at him, smiling flirtatiously. Kyungsoo looked back and forth between the two of them and let out a sigh.

"You have a problem. You both have a problem. No wonder your relationship is like this."

Baekhyun pouted slightly as he looked back at Kyungsoo, "Look, it's not like what you think. We enjoy doing all kinds of stuff together. Even innocent stuff, like hanging out at the beach or playing hide and seek."

Kyungsoo slowly turned to look over at Sehun in surprise, recognizing those words from earlier. It closely matched Sehun's description of his ideal type. If that was true, Kyungsoo realized Sehun must have had deeper feelings for Baekhyun than he was letting on.

Sehun stared back at Kyungsoo nervously, realizing he must have made the connection. He shook his head, pleading Kyungsoo to stay quiet about it. Kyungsoo stared at him for a moment and then let out a sigh.

"Fine. Just don't ever throw a party again so you guys can have sex. I heard you Byun, I can never erase that from my mind, as much as I want to."

Baekhyun lightly laughed, "Sorry."

"Seriously, I am going to be really weary of coming to any of your parties."

"Ok ok, we just won't invite you." Baekhyun laughed again.

Kyungsoo glared at Baekhyun viciously, and Baekhyun broke out into loud laughter, "I'm just kidding!"

Kyungsoo turned and left the kitchen, taking a plate of food with him. Once he was gone, there was a moment of silence as Sehun and Baekhyun stared at each other. Sehun's expression softened as he looked at Baekhyun, thinking about the words Baekhyun had said. It had been a long time since he and Baekhyun had enjoyed something innocent together, he was glad Baekhyun still treasured that part of their relationship.

"Thanks." Baekhyun smiled.

Sehun nodded, his eyes staying fixated on Baekhyun as he thought to himself. Baekhyun bit on his lip as he stepped closer to him, raising one of his hands to grab Sehun's shirt.

"You're staring at me again. Which one is it this time?"

Sehun paused, gazing deeply into Baekhyun's eyes, "Neither. There is one more thing I think about."

"Tell me." Baekhyun smirked.

Sehun took a deep breath, feeling nervous at even the thought of saying those words, "It's a secret."

Baekhyun dramatically pouted, "A secret? Why can't you tell me?"

Sehun smiled, grabbing a plate of food, "I will soon."

Baekhyun sighed, "...All right."

They returned to the party together, placing down the snacks on the table. Everyone gathered around to grab some more, and Baekhyun looked over at his siblings. He spent a moment watching them, taking the time to treasure the memory of this party. He was glad he had Sehun with him, he knew it was going to be hard to see them leave tomorrow.

"Can you guys do me favor?" Baekhyun asked.

"Of course, what it is?"

"I was hoping you could make a video for me to send to Mother."

"Oh, what a great idea! I'm sure she'd love that!"

Baekhyun smiled, "Thanks."

Everyone watched as Baekhyun made his way over to the closet. Sehun stared at him curiously as he pulled out a small keyboard, he wasn't aware that Baekhyun was keeping one in there. Baekhyun brought it back over to everyone and placed it on the coffee table, sitting down in front of it.

"You still play piano?" The sisters smiled in excitement.

"Yes, but not as much as I used to."

Sehun stepped closer to Baekhyun to watch him as he placed his hands on the keys. He had never seen Baekhyun play before, he wasn't even aware that Baekhyun knew how to play an instrument.

Minji took out her phone and pointed it at Baekhyun, "Are you ready?"

Baekhyun nodded, his expression becoming soft as he moved his hands to the right position on the keys. Sehun stared at his lowered eyes, he had never seen such a melancholy look on Baekhyun's face before.

Baekhyun started after hearing the small chime of Minji's camera, his hands carefully gliding across the keys to gently press them down. The song carried a slow tempo, focused more on the simple beauty of each note rather than a complicated arrangement.

Sehun had never been so affected by a piece of music before, it was his first exposure to a live performance as intimate and emotional as this one. The sound he was used to hearing of a recorded song was no comparison to the heart he felt from the instrument Baekhyun was playing right in front of him. Each note Baekhyun pressed painted a picture inside his mind, it made him feel a myriad of emotions just by listening to it. The song seemed to be a lullaby, beautiful and soft, but tinged with a touch of sadness.

Once Baekhyun finished playing, he looked up at the camera with a gentle expression. Minji stopped the recording once Baekhyun signaled her to with his hand. He sighed as he removed his hands from the piano.

"Can you tell her something for me?"

"Of course Baekhyun."

"Tell her I'm sorry...and that I love her. I'll try my best to see her again soon."

Baekhyun's sisters nodded, smiling gently at Baekhyun, "We will."  
  
  


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Baekhyun helped his sisters carry their luggage as they made their way into line to check their passports. He was surprised at how much they had brought for their short trip. While he was busy, Dongwon pulled Sehun aside, speaking to him quietly.

"My prayers are with the both of you."

Sehun's expression slowly changed, his eyes reflecting a deep intensity, "I won't let anything happen to Baekhyun."

"I know. It puts me at ease to know you'll be fighting alongside him." Dongwon raised his hand and placed it on Sehun's shoulder, firmly squeezing it, "I leave him in your hands."

Sehun nodded, his eyes retaining their heavy feeling as he stared back at Dongwon.

The sister's cheeks were soaked with tears once they finally had to separate from their younger brother. They stared at him longingly as they waved goodbye, each step taking them father away from Baekhyun. Baekhyun waved back at them, his eyes also filled with tears. They knew it might be a long time before they saw each other again, but those words were never spoken, hoping not to jinx themselves.

Dongwon gave Sehun one last glance before they disappeared out of sight, giving him a firm nod. Sehun nodded back, affirming that he wouldn't let anything happen to their precious little brother.  
  
  


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Baekhyun placed their dinner down on the table, still feeling melancholy now that his siblings were gone. He spent extra time arranging the cutlery, needing anything to preoccupy his mind. Sehun was watching him from the hallway, trying his best to calm his rapid beating heart. He took a few deep breaths before he gathered the courage to approach Baekhyun. Baekhyun looked up at him and smiled a little.

"Oh there you are, where did you go?"

Sehun felt like his words had suddenly been stolen from him. He coughed slightly, trying to regain his voice.

"...The bathroom."

Baekhyun nodded and looked back down at the table, fiddling with the cutlery again. Sehun stared at his face for a long moment, he could feel the knots twisting inside his stomach. He clenched his fist tightly before forcing himself to speak.

"Baekhyun..."

Sehun paused as Baekhyun looked up at his face. Baekhyun's eyes were damp with tears, and his expression was wrought with sadness. All of Sehun's previous intentions disappeared upon looking at Baekhyun's face, and he quickly stepped closer to him, wrapping his arms around him to comfort him.

"What's wrong?"

Baekhyun shook his head, trying to emphasize that he was ok, "I just miss them. I wish their visit could have been longer."

Sehun rubbed his back affectionately, trying to think of the right words to say. It didn't come easily to Sehun, comforting someone like this.

Unfortunately, he didn't have the chance to say anything. The loud siren of their alarms suddenly began sounding from their phones. They both remained silent for a moment, listening to the hideous sound as they embraced. Sehun clutched onto Baekhyun tightly, his emotions suddenly taking hold of him. All he wanted to say were three small words. He just wanted it to be perfect.

He slowly backed away, staring at Baekhyun longingly as he continued to hold onto him. Baekhyun was starting to get nervous, noticing how much Sehun was stalling.

"What is it?"

Sehun let go of Baekhyun's arms, slowly lowering his hands, "...Nothing. We should hurry."

Baekhyun nodded, but Sehun remained still. He spent a moment longer staring at Baekhyun's face, taking a deep breath before turning around.


	31. White Fang

The four Exo Pilots assembled in front of Princess Nari's desk in the Director's room, a tense atmosphere building as the Princess waited to hear the news. The threat they had been warned about was far worse than anything they had seen before, and they decided it was best to warn the Princess incase of an emergency.

"OZ's mobile doll troops have moved to the Sanc Kingdom's borders and forces are building up in the surrounding military bases." Chanyeol spoke as he showed her the information on his phone.

"It's unmistakable. OZ is planning to crush the Sanc Kingdom." Sehun added, "It's just a matter of time before they attack."

Princess Nari remained silent thinking to herself with a grave expression, "...Very well, I'm putting my trust in you to save my Kingdom...Since we have no choice but to fight. I'll make sure the people are evacuated."  
  
  


——————————

 

"Baekhyun..." Sehun spoke in a faint voice, "I'm really worried about this one."

Baekhyun paused climbing into his suit and turned to face Sehun. His expression also showed how worried he was, but he quickly changed into a smile, trying not to show it.

"You've mastered the ZERO system right? OZ doesn't stand a chance."

Sehun didn't answer him, his eyes still full of concern. He lowered his head and took a deep breath, reminding himself of the words he had told Dongwon. He wasn't going to let anything happen to Baekhyun.

"...I'd feel better if you evacuated with the others."

Baekhyun stared at him curiously, and stepped away from his suit to get closer to Sehun, "What are you talking about? We're partners. I'm happy to fight alongside you. No matter what happens we can be together."

Sehun slowly wrapped his arms around Baekhyun and pulled him close, sinking his face into Baekhyun's neck. He squeezed him tightly, releasing his frustration slightly in the embrace.

He hated and loved that Baekhyun was a soldier. Like Baekhyun said, he was happy to always have Baekhyun by his side. Besides, he never would have met Baekhyun if he wasn't an Exo Pilot. But at the same time, it meant that the person that was most precious to him was also in danger.

Baekhyun raised his arms to hug Sehun as well, squeezing him back, "...We can do this Sehun. We can win this stupid war and finally live in peace. I really do believe that's going to happen."

Sehun closed his eyes and rubbed Baekhyun's back, "...If that's what you believe, then I believe it too."

Baekhyun smiled and snuggled his head against Sehun's, "Come on, let's go."  
  
  


——————————

 

Even Baekhyun's shining confidence dimmed after struggling to battle the forces invading the Sanc Kingdom. It never ended, the amount of Mobile Dolls coming at them from all sides. Even with Sehun's powerful ZERO suit on their side, he couldn't compete with the number of Dolls OZ had sent. Before they could even clear out the troops surrounding them, another wave appeared.

Already overwhelmed, the Exo Pilots were unprepared for yet another force coming from the sea. They began to barrage the Kingdom with torpedoes, destroying many large structures in one blow. Unlike the previous battle, the Dolls were focused on destroying the Kingdom along with the Exo Pilots, OZ was putting their all into this fight.

The Exo Pilots were pushed further and further back towards the city, until at last they were at their last line of defense. The Dolls began firing on the buildings, causing explosions to erupt throughout the city, including their school.

"...The Kingdom..." Baekhyun spoke in a faint whisper, pausing in a state of shock.

Sehun wished he was only hallucinating. The Exo Pilots watched in horror as the city they had come to know and love erupted in flames. The school, the amusement park, the cafe...all of them were burning. The citizens hiding underground could feel the rock of the explosions, not even the Princess's words could comfort them now.

It was time, Princess Nari realized they couldn't fight back anymore. OZ had finally won. Putting on a brave face, she started a broadcast to OZ executives in outer space and on Earth. Her face appeared on the Exo Pilot's monitors as well as she began her announcement.

_"I'm the chief representative of the Sanc Kingdom; Princess Yoon Nari. Armed combat counters the beliefs of the Sanc Kingdom and its pacifism. But if we become a target for OZ to conduct battle I shall renounce the nation's sovereignty and dissolve this nation."_

Baekhyun took a deep breath and lowered his head, his hands becoming limp on his controls. It was over, his peaceful days going to school and spending time with Sehun...They could no longer live that life.

_"Stop the fighting! You no longer have a reason to fight this battle. Total pacifism should not be the cause of battle under any circumstances. I am therefore surrendering myself to OZ."_

Junmyeon smiled as he watched the Princess's broadcast from his luxurious quarters in outer space, and waved his hand at Jongin to give him a simple order. Jongin, who was standing nearby also watching the broadcast, nodded and left the room.

The Dolls suddenly ceased their fire, the battle finally coming to an end. The Exo Pilots all stood silently together, pausing for a moment in sadness. They knew they had to escape, but the shock of the moment was a little much for them to handle.

Princess Nari turned off the broadcast and sighed, her hand trembling a little as she thought to herself, "... My dear people, forgive me."  
  
  


——————————

 

"It looks like there's only one option left." Chanyeol spoke quietly as the four Exo Pilots sat around a campfire together.

They were forced to abandon the Sanc Kingdom, taking refuge in a forest outside the Kingdom's borders. Their Exo Suits were standing behind them, creating a wall around them as they huddled around the fire together.

Baekhyun gazed deeply into the cracking flames, his eyes wet with tears as he held onto his knees. It had been many hours since any of them had spoken, all of them deeply upset about their failure to protect the Kingdom they all now considered home. They simply sat next to each other, watching the painfully symbolic vision of the firewood burn in front of them.

Sehun kept his arm wrapped around Baekhyun's shoulder, the only thing he could think of to give Baekhyun comfort. He rubbed him affectionally with his thumb, also gazing into the fire with an upset expression.

"It's time to go back to outer space." Chanyeol continued, realizing no one had the will to answer him.

Baekhyun closed his eyes and winced slightly, trying to prevent himself from crying at those words. As much as he hated space before, he hated it even more now after all the horrible events that occurred on their last visit. Outer Space was nothing but a hideous void to Baekhyun, a suffocating battleground without any alleviation of nature's beauty.

Sehun watched a tear trickle down Baekhyun's cheek. He gently moved his hand to wipe it, and pulled Baekhyun closer to himself. He realized how hard this must have been on Baekhyun, he knew he just wanted to stay on Earth. Baekhyun leaned against him, and closed his eyes as they pressed their faces together.

Sehun looked up with a determined expression, locking his eyes with the other pilots, "Let's finish this."  
  
  


——————————

 

"Production is up 20%. It's almost complete. The huge increase in manpower from the colonies was effective."

A slideshow of images flashed on a large screen in the control room of the OZ Libra battleship as the Captain flipped through them all, showing them to Colonel Jongin. Jongin smirked as he watched it, pleased with the progress they had made in such a short amount of time, at least for a battleship of such a massive scale.

"Excellent. I'm returning to the Lunar Base. Sedici, you're in charge."

"Yes, sir. You can count on me." Sedici saluted to Jongin.

Jongin took one last look at the information before turning to leave the room. Once he was gone, Sedici deviously smirked to himself as he lowered his hand.  
  
  


——————————

 

Jongin sat comfortably inside his transport shuttle, looking over more information on a device in his lap as he waited for them to take off. A group of Mobile suits surrounded the shuttle, a usual escort for any officer. However, the type of suit caught Jongin's attention, and he looked up from his device to stare at them curiously.

"Why are they still using those manned suits?"

Jongin looked over at the pilot of the shuttle, and suddenly noticed a white scarf tied around the right arm of his uniform.

"I thought I told you to send those people to work on the Libra!"

The pilot smirked, keeping his face forward, "Yeah...Really sorry about that. But we can't waste our strength. Not if we're going to revolt."

The other soldiers on the shuttle suddenly surrounded Jongin, all of them wearing a white scarf around their arm. Jongin shot out of his seat, but stopped moving once they pointed their guns at him.

"Please sit down, Colonel Jongin."

They all maliciously smiled as Jongin slowly sat back down, staring at them nervously.

"...Who are you people?"

"White Fang, the colonies revolutionaries."

"Revolutionaries?" Jongin asked as his hand clutched tightly onto the arm of his seat.

"There's no need to worry. We don't have any intention of killing you, Colonel. The citizens of the colonies don't want any bloodshed. Remorse for your oppression is enough."

The Pilot suddenly began speaking into his COM link, interrupting their conversation, "This is Cobra. We've captured Colonel Jongin. The Artemis Revolution can begin."  
  
  


——————————

 

OZ soldiers ran quickly through a large metal corridor, desperately trying to escape the series of explosions erupting behind them inside the Lunar Base. They stopped in their tracks upon reaching another group of soldiers, all of them decorated with a white scarf. They raised their guns at the OZ soldiers, and an old man stepped out amongst their group, the only one not wearing a scarf around his arm. His skin was pale and wrinkled, and his eyes disappeared behind the shine of his thin framed glasses. His receding hair fell to his shoulders, grey and damaged with years of mistreatment. He began speaking to the soldiers in a authoritative voice, a cocky smirk on his face.

"We have this base under our control now. Don't even think about retaliating."  
  
  


——————————

 

In the busy cities of the colonies, many large screens were attached to the tall buildings surrounding the citizens, displaying news about their current situation in the war. They were mostly ignored by the hustle of people walking underneath them, too preoccupied with their own lives to pay attention. However, that quickly changed when the screens simultaneously flashed with an image of an old man, his voice booming over the bustling sounds of the city.

_"Fellow citizens of the colonies! The time has come to fight back! Colonel Jongin, the man oppressing all of us is now being confined by our comrades! We no longer need to take orders from anyone!"_

The entire city stopped moving, even the cars on the streets came to a halt as they stared up at the televisions in surprise at the old man's words. The citizens weren't the only one's witnessing this news, the Exo Pilots had also picked up on this transmission, and were watching on the monitor inside their transport carrier traveling through space together.

For some reason, Sehun recognized the old man. He couldn't remember why, but he felt like he had seen him before. He tried to recall a memory of him as he continued watching him speak.

_"Earth has exhausted our manpower and resources. But in the past, we weren't controlled by anyone. We were all treated equal! Let us stand up for the colonies! Together, let's establish peace in outer space!"_

Sehun looked over at the other pilots with a concerned expression on his face, "I have a bad feeling about this. I've seen that man before."

"Really, who is he?" Baekhyun asked as he glanced over at Sehun.

"I don't remember..." Sehun spoke quietly, "...I just have a bad feeling about it."

Baekhyun nodded slowly, staring into Sehun's eyes. It scared him a little, Sehun certainly wasn't a person to usually pick up on a bad feeling.  
  
  


——————————

 

Jongin was escorted through the Lunar Base, his hands bound in handcuffs as White fang soldiers walked behind him, pointing their guns at his back.

"Why don't you kill me?"

"You're worth more alive. You'll contact the colonies' media to declare defeat. We'll just sit back and wait until the citizens start demanding your execution."

Jongin glared at the soldiers, "Your methods are no different from those of OZ."

"That's right. We learned them from you people."

"Really?" Jongin's expression changed into a confident smirk.

He suddenly rammed his body into the soldiers and knocked them over. As Jongin ran away, the soldiers staggered back to their feet and began firing at him. Jongin escaped through a door and smashed a button to close it behind him.

"Damn!"

"Leave him! He can't get away! This base belongs to us!"  
  
  


——————————

 

The old man stared down at the controls inside the Lunar Base, pressing on a few buttons and becoming acquainted with the massive amount of switches in front of him. He pushed his glasses back on the bridge of his nose, smirking to himself in pleasure.

The door behind him suddenly opened, and a few White Fang soldiers hurried inside the room.

"Quinze Sir! Colonel Jongin has escaped on a shuttle!"

Quinze turned to them with a furious glare, "What?! How is that possible?! Weren't you holding him at gunpoint?!"

The soldiers nervously paused, "...He knocked us over and ran away."

"Why did you let him get away!?"

The soldiers hesitated again, "... We didn't think he could escape."

"So you just stood there?!"

The soldiers stood silently, none of them brave enough to answer that question.

Quince slapped one of the soldier's faces in frustration, "You are dismissed, get out of my sight!"  
  
  


——————————

 

Sehun piloted the transport shuttle as the others stood behind him, looking out the window at the mass of rubble floating around them, debris of a destroyed OZ station. Several lifeless bodies wearing the OZ uniform floated amongst the scarps of metal, and Baekhyun closed his eyes as they flew past them. There was nothing more horrifying to Baekhyun than dying all alone in this cold and dark place, he prayed even the bodies of their enemies would be found to be properly buried.

"No wonder we had an easier journey getting to outer space this time. Looks like OZ has had their hands full dealing with these colony revolutionaries." Chanyeol spoke as he stared at the destruction surrounding them.

Suddenly the monitor on Sehun's control panel started beeping, and Sehun clicked a button to check an incoming transmission. The other pilots turned their heads to watch him.

"It's an encoded transmission being broadcast in this area. It's a message to the EXO Light."

"To me?" Baekhyun asked curiously as he placed his hand on Sehun's shoulder to lean closer and get a better look.

Sehun clicked on another button and the monitor flashed on. A young man's face became visible, and he smiled upon seeing Baekhyun.

_"Bian, can you hear me?"_

"Is that you Zhang?"

Sehun slowly recalled the man's face, recognizing him from the time Baekhyun helped him retrieve his Exo Suit. He thought he was just a mechanic, he wasn't sure why he would be in outer space.

_"How would you like a mission, like in the old days? Of course I'll give you full supplies and repairs."_

Baekhyun smiled back at him, "What are you doing out here in space?"

_"Just doing my part to help."_ Yixing replied.

Baekhyun gave him a thumbs up, still smiling happily, "Great, we could definitely use your help."  
  
  


——————————

 

"Quinze Sir!" A commanding officer saluted the old man as he approached him in the control room, "The presence of several Exo Suits in space have been confirmed."

Quince paused, staring thoughtfully at the man, "Then there's a possibility they'll attack us..."

"Why would the Exo Suits act hostile towards us? Aren't we on the same side?"

A deep voice suddenly answered from behind them, coming from a tall young man lounging in the Captain's chair with his legs crossed, "Because the Exo Pilots are fighting for the Earth. They aren't going to allow us to go ahead with Operation Meteor."

"...Operation Meteor?" The officer asked in confusion, never hearing anything about this before.

The young man rose from his seat, and walked over to the officer, towering over him and staring down at him with an intimidating expression, "Yes, the Operation the Exo Pilots disgracefully abandoned."  
  
  


——————————

 

The Exo Pilots stood next to Yixing as his team finished loading the Exo Suits onto his ship, the Peacemillion. It was also a battleship like the Libra, but smaller in scale and with much less firepower.

"You guys can use this ship as a base of operations if you want. My team will repair your suits and supply you with more ammo when you run out."

"We can't thank you enough." Baekhyun smiled, looking around at the large team already taking care of their suits.

"Don't thank me. You guys are the ones fighting to end this war. This is the least I can do."

A mechanic suddenly came running up to them all, an urgent look on his face, "Zhang! White Fang is making an announcement!"

All the Pilots turned to look at the mechanic in surprise as he continued speaking.

"It's a declaration of war!"

The Exo Pilots quickly rushed towards the nearest monitor and turned it on, setting it to the broadcast. Quinze's face appeared on the screen, already in the middle of making a speech.

_"The days of Oz's tyranny are over. Now with the Libra under our control, let us demonstrate the power of it's cannon. The Space Fortress Barge will soon be eliminated."_

The screen suddenly flashed to show the Barge, OZ's main base of operations. The Exo Pilot's tensed up, fearing just how powerful this cannon was, if White Fang intended to destroy a large fortress such as the Barge in a mere demonstration.

In a short moment, the Barge was drowned in a flash of light, and the Pilots waited anxiously to see the outcome of the shot. When the blinding light finally subsided, nothing was left of the Space Fortress, only lingering explosions and few pieces of debris. The Pilot's all stared silently at the screen, the fear of this new enemy growing deeper as the image of Quinze reappeared.

_"Space belongs to us colony citizens! Let us welcome our new leader, who will guide us through this new age together! Wu Yifan!"_

The image quickly changed to a young man, his eyes carrying a cruel intensity that only furthered the Exo Pilot's anxiety. Baekhyun was even more panicked than the rest, and quickly leaned closer to the screen as he gasped.

"That's the guy I stole my Exo Suit from!"

Sehun turned to look at Baekhyun in surprise, slowly recalling what Baekhyun had told him about this man. He seemed to remember a crazy lust for blood as part of his description.

"Wait, are you saying he's an Exo Pilot?" Kyungsoo asked.

"Yes! He wanted to go through with the original Operation Meteor!"

All of the Pilots paused in silence, knowing too horribly well what that meant. In varying circumstances, they had all decided to abandon this mission, it's intentions too cruel for even a compassionless weapon such as Sehun.

_"It has been 200 years since our people began living in space. Isn't it time that we end this history filled with disputes? We have no choice but to start a war to end all wars! Against OZ, and the Exo Pilots!..."_

"...This guy is serious..." Yixing spoke over Yifan as he continued his speech.

"What should we do?" Kyungsoo asked as he looked over at the other Pilots.

"Destroy the Libra of course!" Chanyeol answered enthusiastically.

"We need a plan though." Kyungsoo continued, "The Libra is guarded by a large fleet of Mobile Dolls, not to mention that massive cannon. It's going to be hard to get close enough to even cause any damage."

"If we can't win by force, then maybe there's something else we can do." Sehun interjected.

Kyungsoo stared at him curiously, surprised that he had an alternative to fighting, "What do you mean?"

"The Mobile Dolls are just puppets controlled by a main computer. If we can infiltrate the Libra and destroy the main circuit, the entire army would cease to function."

Baekhyun smiled brightly as he looked over at Sehun, "That's true!"

"But how are we going to sneak onboard the Libra if we can't get close to it?" Kyungsoo inquired, still unconvinced about Sehun's plan.

There was a moment of silence as they thought to themselves, the broadcast Yifan was giving coming to an end in the background. As it ended, the alarm inside the Peacemillion suddenly began sounding. They looked over at the nearby monitor again to see a fleet of Mobile Doll carriers approaching the Peacemillion.

Baekhyun smirked as he looked over at Sehun, "Looks like they just gave us our answer."

Kyungsoo nodded, agreeing with Baekhyun, "It wouldn't be wise for all of us to go. You two go ahead, I'll stay here and protect the Peacemillion with Chanyeol."

"We'll try not to keep you waiting." Baekhyun smiled.  
  
  


——————————

 

"Wu Sir, it looks like OZ is building up their forces at Natural resource satellite MO-2."

Yifan smirked, "...MO-2. They're done mining it, so it's been left circling Earth. It's perfect for a frontline base."

"Yes, OZ is bringing all their weapons from Earth to this one location."

Yifan's smile grew larger on his face, "That will make things easier for us."  
  
  


——————————

 

It didn't take long for the Exo Pilots to exterminate the threat of the Mobile Dolls to their ship. As Chanyeol and Kyungsoo cleared the last remaining forces, Sehun and Baekhyun commandeered one of the carriers, flying it back towards the Libra.

"This is Peacemillion asset Unit No: 2O2. Entering emergency deck due to drive power unit and port side rudder damage." Sehun spoke on the COM link as they came within close proximity to the Libra.

A soldier appeared on their monitor, "Libra bridge here, confirming survivors. Please provide IFF."

Sehun reached forward and pressed a button on his controls, turning off the monitor, "There aren't any survivors."

Baekhyun smirked as he looked over at Sehun, watching as he pushed forward on the controls and began speeding towards the battleship. Baekhyun braced for impact as Sehun purposely crashed inside the landing deck, their small carrier skidding across the large metal opening before smacking against the wall and erupting in flames.

The fire alarms inside the Libra emergency deck started going off, and the sprinkler system began spraying water down on the carrier. Soldiers immediately started filling the area, trying to put out the fire. The low gravity allowed them to float around the spacecraft, spraying at it from every angle.

"Careful! The pilot might be deliberately trying to cause damage! Shut off this block!"

"We've got our hands full over here!" The other soldiers answered, trying their best to control the fire.

The officer grabbed the arm of a random person floating by him. Little did he know, it happened to be Sehun, already disguised in one of their space suits.

"You! Close off this block! Don't let anyone out!"

"Yes sir." Sehun slowly nodded.

Baekhyun smirked as he flew off with Sehun, ignoring the man's orders as they made their way inside the battleship.  
  
  


——————————

 

"You let the carrier fly in?! You fool! I specifically told you to look out for intruders!" Quinze yelled at a group of soldiers reporting the situation to him.

Yifan raised his hand, "Calm down. I already predicted this would happen."

Quinze gritted his teeth, still tense as he turned to the Captain, "Confirm who the intruders are."

"There's no need, I already know who it is." Yifan interrupted again.

"Sir?"

Yifan smirked, "It's Wu Shi Xun."

Quinze tightened up again, finding fear in just hearing that name. He was really hoping he would never run into Sehun, realizing just how dangerous he was. He was extremely uncomfortable with the thought of him onboard the Libra.

"OZ's frontline has entered our firing range!" The Captain suddenly announced as he stared at his monitor. "General Junmyeon is leading them!"

"How's the main cannon?" Yifan asked.

"It's all charged up."

Yifan smiled, getting up from his seat to look at the monitor with the Captain. A massive fleet of manned mobile suits were approaching them, lead by General Junmyeon from the Mo-2 satellite.

"Prepare to fire cannon! Set target to the General's army and the satellite Mo-2!"

"Ready to fire main cannon! Commencing countdown!"

Junmyeon and his army watched in horror as the Libra's cannon began to build with power, the blast range leaving them no time to escape. All they could do was watch as the energy intensified before releasing a powerful blast towards them, destroying a large portion of White Fang's own Mobile Doll troops before engulfing OZ's army in the shot as well.

Colonel Jongin watched from the control room inside the Mo-2 satellite as Junmyeon and the rest of the army exploded in flames. He was sent to the floor as the Libra's blast hit a portion of the satellite as well. Alarms started sounding inside the satellite as Jongin lay on the floor, the control room unharmed by the shot. He slowly stood back up, cringing a little in pain, and a soldier rushed over to help him.

"Colonel Jongin. Your orders?"

Jongin looked out the window at the debris of the mobile suits. The majority of OZ's army had been eliminated in that one shot. He closed his eyes and lowered his head, realizing that OZ had been defeated.

"Get in touch with the White Fang! OZ is declaring immediate surrender!"

"C-Colonell?"

"This is humiliating! Don't make me repeat myself! Send them the message!"

"Yes, Sir!"  
  
  


——————————

 

"OZ has just contacted us to declare their surrender. And the combat observation unit has just informed us that General Junmyeon has died in battle."

Yifan smirked as he relaxed in his seat, closing his eyes as he reveled in the moment, "We're not finished yet. Our plans to ram this ship into Earth are unchanged."

The Captain nervously clenched his hand, "...Yes Sir."

"How long until the main cannon can be fired?"

"We'll need 140 minutes to fully charge it." The Captain answered, but quickly changed the subject upon witnessing something on his monitor, "The Exo Pilots are approaching from behind!"

"Damn! Dispatch the remaining Mobile Dolls!!" Quinze commanded.

Yifan stood up, "I'll face the Exo Pilots."

"What? You will?" Quinze asked in surprise.

As Yifan turned to leave the room, Quinze called out to him nervously, "Commander Wu!"

Yifan ignored him, stepping through the door as it closed behind him. Quinze only stared at the door for a short moment before turning around to face the soldiers on deck in frustration.

"Send more people to fix the cannon! We can't waste any time!"  
  
  


——————————

 

Chanyeol and Kyungsoo plowed through the fleet of Mobile Dolls as they sped towards the Libra. As they were fighting, their proximity alarms began sounding to alert them of a new enemy, and they checked their monitors to see a large mobile suit approaching them.

"That's an Exo Suit!" Kyungsoo nervously communicated to Chanyeol as he appeared on his screen.

"An Exo Suit?!" Chanyeol responded as he started typing on his controls to analyze the suit, "...You're right...But there's no data on this model..."

Yifan quickly sped towards them, pulling out his beam sword once he got close enough to fight with them. Chanyeol and Kyungsoo tried to get a good shot at him, but the Mobile Dolls continued to get in the way, serving as a shield.

The Dolls only moved out of the way under Yifan's control, just in time for him to take a shot at Chanyeol and Kyungsoo. After Chanyeol received a large blow to his arm, Kyungsoo appeared on his screen again.

"We just need to hold out until Oh and Byun destroy the circuit. Don't worry about attacking him, let's only concentrate on dodging."

Chanyeol nodded, "Right. They better hurry up."  
  
  


——————————

 

"Libra's leaving the line of battle! It's heading for Mo-2!"

Yixing watched the Libra slowly moving through the window in front of him, "...No, not Mo-2...It's heading for Earth."

"Earth?"

Yixing turned to face the pilot, "Let's go after them!"

"What's the point? We don't have the weapons to destroy Libra."

"Sure we do. Enough to destroy Libra's main cannon."

The pilot paused, staring at Yixing in concern, "...Wait...You don't mean..."

"Tell everyone to evacuate! The Mo-2 will take us in."

"Yes Sir!"  
  
  


——————————

 

As Yifan continued battling with Chanyeol and Kyungsoo, he received an alert, informing him of the Peacemillion's sudden change in course. He watched as it sped quickly towards the Libra, and paused for a moment trying to figure out their objective.

"It can't be!"

Chanyeol and Kyungsoo watched as Yifan suddenly flew away from the battle, leaving them with the remaining Mobile Dolls

"Where is he going?" Chanyeol asked in confusion.

Kyungsoo stared ahead of Yifan and noticed their ship moving, "He's after the Peacemillion!"

Before they could chase after Yifan, the Mobile Dolls surrounded them, creating a tight blockade and preventing them from following. Once again they were forced to battle, hoping any moment Sehun and Baekhyun would accomplish their goal.  
  
  


——————————

 

"The Peacemillion is circumventing the battle zone and heading for us!"

"What?!" Quinze clenched his fists tightly and started shaking in frustration, "They must realize we don't have any additional troops! We have no means to stop them!"

"It's about to plow into us!"

"Evade!!" Quinze shouted as he practically shoved the Captain out of the way of the controls so he could do it himself.

"No! There isn't enough time!"

"Fire all cannons! Shoot that ship out of the sky!"  
  
  


——————————

 

The Peacemillion took heavy damage as it counted flying towards the Libra, but it's course remained unchanged. Only a few people were left on board, including Yixing and the pilot. The others had evacuated and started making their way to the Mo-2.

"You sure about ramming them?!"

Yixing nodded, a look of determination on his face, "Yes, we'll wipe out their main weapon! Use the BGY Booster as well! Wreck the engine if necessary!"

"Roger!"

Chanyeol and Kyungsoo helplessly watched the Peacemillion as it took heavy fire, Yifan still chasing after it. All they could do was watch from afar as they continued fighting the Mobile Dolls.

"Have they lost their minds?!"

Kyungsoo shook his head, "No... It's the only option left!"  
  
  


——————————

 

Quinze and the rest of the crew on deck watched the Peacemillion on their monitors, It's speed too fast for Yifan to catch up with.

"They're gonna hit us!"

Quinze smacked the Captain out of the way again and pressed a button on the controls, making an announcement to the entire battleship, "Cut the engines! All hands, prepare for collision!"

Sehun and Baekhyun heard the announcement as they ran down a corridor together, holding out their guns to fire at any potential threat. Sehun stopped moving and looked out the window to see the Peacemillion flying towards them.

He grabbed onto Baekhyun's arm to stop him as well, "Get down and cover your head!"

Baekhyun immediately crouched to the floor and Sehun wrapped his arms around him, holding him as they braced for impact. A loud crash sent them flying, and Sehun smacked against the wall as he continued holding onto Baekhyun. The entire battleship continued shaking, and the sound of screeching metal could be heard as the Peacemillion maintained driving into the Libra.

Once it finally came to a halt, the alarms inside the Peacemillion started sounding, Yixing and everyone else onboard unharmed inside the ship.

"Hurry and extinguish fires around the fuel tank!" Yixing ordered as he turned to face his crew.  
  
  


——————————

 

"Report damages." Yifan asked anxiously as he appeared on the monitor inside the Libra control room.

"The main cannon has been completely destroyed. It didn't explode because it wasn't charged up." The Captain answered with a sigh.

"And the engines?"

"Damaged, but they can still get up to about 7O percent."

"Good, then we still have a chance. Continue your course towards Earth! Have you calculated the wave course yet?"

"Yes. We can enter Earth's atmosphere if we continue on the present course. There's a 69% chance that we'll crash land in the Northern Hemisphere. The energy released is estimated at about 6 thousand megatons."

"That'd be plenty." Yifan smirked.  
  
  


——————————

 

Sehun released Baekhyun from his grip once the rumbling finally stopped. He remained crouched as he helped Baekhyun get up as well. All around them were fallen pieces of metal, parts of the ship destroyed by the strong impact. Baekhyun looked around for a moment before looking back at Sehun with a smile.

"Are you all right?"

"Yes I'm fine, are you?"

Baekhyun nodded, "Of course, I have you after all."

Sehun smiled back at him as he helped him stand. After checking Baekhyun for any wounds, he reached for his communicator radio and pressed a button to start speaking.

"What is the damage report?"

Yixing's voice quickly answered him on the radio, _"The cannon has been destroyed. We're not at any risk of exploding. But we're basically stuck. The majority of my crew has found refuge on the Mo-2 satellite, we'll be heading there as well."_

"I understand." Sehun responded as he pressed the button again and looked over at a nearby door, "We've located the Mobile Doll control system."

_"Good luck."_

Sehun put away his radio and held out his gun, firing at the keypad on the door. As the door flew open, Sehun and Baekhyun rushed inside the room with their guns raised, pointing them at the few soldiers operating the controls.

They shouted in surprise upon seeing the intruders, "Who are y-"

Sehun and Baekhyun fired at them before they could finish speaking, and they all fell to the floor with a thud. Without wasting any time, Sehun pulled out his knife and quickly rushed over to the main circuit. Baekhyun used his knife as well as they started slicing at the wires and ripping them out of the large computer.

As Chanyeol and Kyungsoo fired at the Mobile Dolls, they suddenly stopped moving, their arms slowly drooping to their sides as they lost power.

"They've stopped moving!" Chanyeol happily shouted.

"They did it!" Kyungsoo smiled as he stared around at the defenseless army.  
  
  


——————————

 

"Sir, the mobile dolls have stopped moving!"

"What?! How is that possible?!" Quinze quivered in anger.

"Someone must have sabotaged the main circuit!"

"You mean no one has located the intruders yet?!"

"No sir!"

Quinze lets out a frustrated scream, "Find them immediately!!"  
  
  


——————————

 

I'm sorry, I know this took me forever, and I know you still probably want to strangle me after reading that. So I decided to do a double update. You guys deserve it.

Just incase you're totally lost because I haven't talked about this stuff in forever:

OZ- A strong military organization that seized control of the colonies and any nation on Earth who opposed their rule.

Barge- OZ's main base of operations

Libra Battleship- The massive battleship OZ has been building for months

Lunar Base- Place where OZ manufactures Mobile Dolls

Mobile Dolls- Mobile suits that don't need a pilot, they're just robots

White Fang- Colony revolutionaries who oppose OZ

Quinze- Old guy that Sehun recognizes for some reason. He is in control of White Fang under Wu Yifan.

Wu Yifan- (Age 19) The original Exo Pilot for Baekhyun's suit. Baekhyun stole the suit, knowing that Yifan wanted to go ahead with the original Operation Meteor.

Operation Meteor- Disguising the Exo Suits as shooting stars, they were sent to Earth to attack OZ instillations around the globe and destroy their headquarters. However, the original operation was something entirely different. It seems to have to do something with ramming an object onto Earth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just incase you're totally lost because I haven't talked about this stuff in forever:
> 
> OZ- A strong military organization that seized control of the colonies and any nation on Earth who opposed their rule.
> 
> Barge- OZ's main base of operations
> 
> Libra Battleship- The massive battleship OZ has been building for months
> 
> Lunar Base- Place where OZ manufactures Mobile Dolls
> 
> Mobile Dolls- Mobile suits that don't need a pilot, they're just robots
> 
> White Fang- Colony revolutionaries who oppose OZ
> 
> Quinze- Old guy that Sehun recognizes for some reason. He is in control of White Fang under Wu Yifan.
> 
> Wu Yifan- The original Exo Pilot for Baekhyun's suit. Baekhyun stole the suit, knowing that Yifan wanted to go ahead with the original Operation Meteor.
> 
> Operation Meteor- Disguising the Exo Suits as shooting stars, they were sent to Earth to attack OZ instillations around the globe and destroy their headquarters. However, the original operation was something entirely different. It seems to have to do something with ramming an object onto Earth.


	32. A Reason to Live

Sehun and Baekhyun floated through mangled metal and other pieces of debris as they made it on board the Peacemillion. They progressed through the destroyed battleship to find their Exo Suits in the docking area. Baekhyun paused once he noticed his Exo Suit, laying on the floor and obviously ruined by the impact of ramming into the Libra.

"...My Exo Suit..."

He slowly turned to look over at Sehun's suit, it was still standing, but it was also damaged.

"...I guess there's no more need for our suits anyway."

Sehun ignored Baekhyun's words and flew over to his suit, climbing inside the cockpit. Baekhyun flew after him, blocking him from closing the door.

"Wait, Sehun, what are you doing?"

"Find Zhang and take a shuttle out of here. I'm going to fight."

"Why? There isn't any reason left to keep on fighting! White Fang has been defeated!"

"I'm positive Wu Yifan is planning to continue with the original Operation Meteor. He's been flying the Libra towards Earth. You and I both know how devastating that will be if he succeeds. If the Libra crashed on Earth seasons would cease to exist and it would be plagued with an everlasting winter."

Baekhyun remained silent, fear growing in his eyes as he stared at Sehun. He didn't feel comfortable with Sehun flying in his suit in it's current condition, and he hated the fact that he couldn't fight with him, but something else bothered him more than that. The memory of Yifan was haunting to him, the deranged look on his face as he trained vigorously for Operation Meteor.

"That's why I've got to go fight. Then the war will be over. Afterward, there will finally be peace."

"Sehun..."

"I promise to protect you. But to protect you and the Earth I have no choice but to fight."

Baekhyun pushed himself further inside the cockpit, tears in his eyes as he got closer to Sehun's face, "No..."

"Let me fight."

"No! I'm scared!" Baekhyun's voice trembled as he got even closer to Sehun, one of his knees resting on Sehun's lap.

Sehun paused, looking deeply into Baekhyun's eyes. They stared at each other for a long moment, Baekhyun's expression becoming more fragile with each passing second. He watched as a few tears escaped Baekhyun's eyes, slowly trickling down his cheeks.

Sehun felt his heart grow heavy as he moved his hand, reaching inside his pocket as he continued looking into Baekhyun's eyes. Baekhyun glanced down to see Sehun holding out a crumpled piece of paper to him, a piece of paper that was very important to both of them.

Baekhyun's hand started shaking as he took it from Sehun, unfolding the creases in the paper to look at the list. He took a quivering breath as he stared at it, his eyes quickly scanning down to the bottom of the list.

The words _"Fall in love"_ had been crossed off.

Baekhyun's eyes filled with more tears, a few fell from his cheeks and landed on the paper as he started gasping. Sehun reached out to him and pulled him close, kissing him tenderly as Baekhyun continued crying. He remained close to Baekhyun's face once he pulled away, staring into Baekhyun's eyes again.

"...I love you Baekhyun...More than I could ever tell you...You've given me the hope and strength to live...You've given me everything."

Baekhyun gasped again, more tears building in his eyes as he stared at Sehun. He took a few more breaths before he was able to answer, his voice coming out in a soft sob.

"...I love you Sehun."

Sehun pulled him close to his body and held him tightly, not allowing Baekhyun to see the tears also building in his eyes. He pressed their lips closely together in a passionate kiss, and they both embraced each other tightly as they held it for a long moment. Baekhyun started trembling with tears again, and Sehun pulled away to look at his face.

"Promise me something."

Baekhyun tried his best to hold in a sob as he watched Sehun hold up his hand, extending his pinky.

"Promise me you'll show me everything you want to see."

Baekhyun slowly reached out his shaking hand, locking their pinkies together, "...I promise Sehun."

"Even if you can't see me, I'll always be with you."

Sehun suddenly shoved Baekhyun out of the cockpit, and Baekhyun flew away from his suit. Tears burst out of Baekhyun's eyes as he watched Sehun close his cockpit, the sparkling teardrops floating around him as he desperately shook his head.

"Sehun!!!!"

Sehun's suit began to move as Baekhyun continued to float away in the low gravity, eventually coming upon a handrail that he could grab onto. Baekhyun held onto it tightly and guarded his face with his other hand as Sehun flew off.

Without wasting time, Baekhyun desperately made his way over to his own Exo suit and jumped inside. He tried to turn it on, but nothing responded. He continued to hopelessly pound the controls anyway, each punch becoming weaker until he eventually stopped, lowering his head as he sobbed.

"...Sehun..."  
  
  


—————————————

 

Yifan sat silently inside his mobile suit, closing his eyes and laying his head backwards. He was waiting, waiting patiently for Sehun to find him. Ever since the day he first heard about Sehun, he had been anxiously waiting for this moment.

He opened his eyes once his proximity alarm started going off, and a smile crept onto his face, "He's finally come."

As Sehun flew towards him, Yifan suddenly appeared on his monitor, still carrying an excited smile, _"At last we meet, Wu Shi Xun! Let your defeat mark the beginning of my era!"_

Yifan used a long laser whip to steal Sehun's buster rifle, tossing it away from them. Sehun grimaced for a moment before he started fighting, ignoring the loss of his powerful weapon.

"If you choose to go ahead with Operation Meteor, the same mistakes will be repeated endlessly. The fighting will never end!"

_"So be it! Let history repeat itself! Let war reign eternally! That's where the souls of those who fight gather! There is no other place for us soldiers! We were raised and trained to kill, I won't allow them to toss us aside and confine us to their miserable peace!"_

Sehun looked surprised for a moment, Yifan's words going against everything he said in his announcement, "So this is your true motive. You're using White Fang just to accomplish your own selfish desires."

Yifan's cold chuckle could be heard inside Sehun's suit before he answered, _"That's right, let my era create a new mankind, a mankind that thrives on blood! I'm acting for the people who were used as weapons! I'm fighting on behalf of all soldiers, including yourself! Right now you and I are fighting like this. Whenever you're engaged in a fight, isn't it true that you feel fulfilled as I do?"_

A melancholy expression grew on Sehun's face, "...Soldiers only became necessary because of war. Unless we stop this process now, more soldiers like ourselves will become necessary. The history full of miserable battles will continue..." Sehun clutched tightly onto his controls as he lowered his head, "...Tell me. How many more people must we kill?"

Sehun's hands began to tremble, he took a deep breath as the memory of the little girl covered in ash flashed in his mind. He spoke quietly, more to himself than to Yifan, his voice shaking as he still recalled the traumatizing memory.

"...How many more times must I kill that little girl?"

Yifan sighed, _"So this is Wu Shi Xun...Now I see that I was mistaken about you. You're just a weakling. I can't stand the weak. They can't trust anybody and never have their own opinion. I can't tolerate such people!"_

Sehun took a deep breath, looking up at his screen with a stern expression, "So you think praying on the weak makes you strong? That having the lack of fear will make you superior? Then you're right, I am weak. I've been scared...I've been nervous...I've been vulnerable...but those feelings...have given me strength!"

Yifan let out a puff of frustrated air, _"I was looking forward to fighting with you, I'm disappointed. I heard all about your training, what they did to you. And yet you still cling to those feeble emotions! I only wish they had done the same thing to me so I could transcend the human race and become a perfect, unparalleled weapon! You are just a failed experiment!"_

Sehun pushed forward on his controls, rushing towards Yifan, "I'm not a weapon. I'm a human being!"  
  
  


—————————————

 

Colonel Jongin was anxiously watching Sehun's battle on his monitor on the Mo-2, getting more tense at each shot fired. He turned to the soldier next to him, a stern expression on his face.

"Send this image to Earth and Space at once."

"Yes, Sir!"

The large televisions in the cities of the colonies and Earth all suddenly flashed with with image of Sehun's battle. Like before, the citizens stopped to watch, fear covering their faces until they heard the sound of Jongin's voice overlapping the footage of the battle.

"This year, in After Colony 195, the history of battle is finally about to end. Unless these two fight, peace will never be achieved! Can you see the peace that awaits us? It's true that at one time OZ opposed the Exo Pilots, but now they are our only hope."

The screens suddenly changed their image to the interior of Sehun's cockpit, showing his face on thousands of televisions all over Earth and space. Chanyeol and Kyungsoo were watching as well, anxiously rooting for Sehun as the image appeared on their monitors.

Baekhyun was one of the few not watching it, there were no screens around him as he ran down a corridor inside the Peacemillion. He could only hear Colonel Jongin's voice through speakers attached to the wall.

_"Regardless of our opinions, this brave young pilot has continued fighting for peace. Let us pray for his victory! Our fate is in his hands!"_

"...Sehun, I believe in you." Baekhyun spoke aloud, wishing his words could somehow reach him.  
  
  


—————————————

 

"Colonel, the Libra is boosting toward Earth!"

"Calculate the damage of it's impact!" Jongin ordered as he nervously stared down at their monitors.

Many crew members started typing on their controls, images of maps and graphs showing up on their monitors.

"If the battleship power sources enter the Earth's atmosphere and explode on the ground the initial explosion might be a radius of a few hundred kilometers. But the enormous amount of dust spreading across the skies would block solar rays resulting in a dramatic drop in world temperatures. People won't be able to live on Earth any longer. The only way to avoid this is to either change their course or blow them up in space. Both are next to impossible."

Jongin closed his eyes and lowered his head, letting out a sigh, "...Operation Meteor is finally underway..."  
  
  


—————————————

 

"Yifan will have his way unless we do something to stop him." Dr. J sighed as he typed on the control panel of the Peacemillion.

"The regular boosters alone won't be enough to change the Libra's course." Dr. G answered him as he also helped entering information into the computer.

"We've got to take out the pressure limit controller in the power cylinder." Dr. H added.

"We're stopping this disturbance by causing another. Seems to be our speciality." Dr. J smiled.

All of them suddenly stopped upon hearing someone approaching from behind them. They turned to see Quinze, a furious expression on his face as he pointed a gun at them.

"Freeze! Don't move!"

Dr. J continued turning to fully face him, "Quinze! Long time no see."

Quinze stepped forward a little as he shot Dr. J in the shoulder, causing him to drop to the floor in pain.

"I told you not to move!"

"Go ahead and kill us. Our work here's done." Dr. J laughed as he held onto his arm.

"You people have caused me nothing but headaches. How many times must you interfere with Operation Meteor?!" Quinze shouted as he continued pointing his gun at Dr. J, "If it weren't for you changing orders to the Exo pilots, mankind would've come to its senses a lot sooner. Oh Sehun was my creation, he was my perfect weapon!"

"...By taking away the boy's humanity." Dr. S answered quietly, remembering the operation and his despise for it.

Quinze chuckled, "What do you mean? He still sheds blood, doesn't he? He's a human like the rest of us. His emotions were a small price to pay."

A gun suddenly cocked to the back of Quinze's head, and Quinze froze in fear. The cold metal pressed harder against his scalp as he heard a young man begin speaking.

"So you're the one responsible." Baekhyun spoke in a dark voice, his eyes reflecting an intensity they had never carried before.

"What, who are-"

Quinze's voice was silenced by the sound of a gunshot and his body falling lifelessly onto the floor. Baekhyun was revealed standing behind him, his eyes still reflecting a dark feeling. He looked up at the doctors and nodded to them, letting them know they had freedom to finish their task.

The doctors nodded back to him before he left, knowing he needed to find a shuttle to escape on. It didn't take Baekhyun long to find an escape pod, and the doctors waited to see him flying away before they performed their last task. After a brief pause, Dr. J pressed a button on the controls, and the entire craft exploded, engulfing them in flames.

Baekhyun watched from his escape pod as the Peacemillion's engines started again, pushing the Libra away from Earth and changing it's course.  
  
  


—————————————

 

"Colonel Jongin, Peacemillion and Libra are moving away from Earth!"

Everyone aboard the Mo-2 sighed in relief, watching the image on the monitors. Jongin let his body relax a little for the first time in hours and sat down in his seat.

"Keep tracking it's course, make sure it doesn't change again."

The door behind them suddenly opened, and Baekhyun leisurely stepped inside the control room. The crew immediately stood from their seats and pointed their guns at him, alarmed by his sudden appearance.

"An intruder!"

Colonel Jongin raised his hand, "Put down your weapons."

The soldiers looked over at him in confusion, but before they could ask Jongin continued.

"This is one of our brave Exo Pilots."

Baekhyun smiled, "Why thank you."

Before Baekhyun could step any further into the room, one of the soldiers operating the control panel shouted as he stared at this monitor, "Colonel, a section of Libra is falling toward Earth!"

"What?!"

Baekhyun quickly ran over to look at their computers in a panic, witnessing images of the Libra piece falling towards the Earth's atmosphere.

"...That block alone would cause a never-ending winter on Earth." Jongin replied as he came over to look at the footage as well.

"Exo Pilots 03 and 04 are flying towards it!"  
  
  


—————————————

 

"We'll have to ruin as much of it as possible to reduce damages to Earth." Kyungsoo anxiously informed Chanyeol as they sped towards the falling piece together.

"We're not fast enough!" Chanyeol shouted in frustration as he watched the piece falling in the far distance.

As Sehun continued battling with Yifan, he suddenly noticed the nearby piece falling towards Earth. His eyes immediately scanned the battleground for his discarded buster rifle, and sped towards it once he spotted it. Ignoring Yifan, he started flying off towards the falling piece.

"No! Operation Meteor will succeed! I won't let you interfere!" Yifan shouted as he chased after him.

Yifan lashed his whip again, catching the leg of Sehun's suit. Sehun halted, and turned to look at Yifan with his buster rifle aimed at him. Without hesitation, he built up a small amount of energy inside his gun before firing it at Yifan.

Not even using the weapon's full strength, he was able to completely destroy Yifan's suit. The whip was the only thing that remained, dangling from Sehun's leg.  
  
  


—————————————

 

"200 seconds before Libra's Block A enters the atmosphere!" One of the crew members informed Jongin, "We're out of time!"

Another soldier suddenly interrupted him, "It's entered the atmosphere! Something's flying ahead of it! ...It's Exo ZERO!"

Baekhyun nervously watched Sehun's suit on the monitor, "...Sehun..."

"He's not gonna make it!"

"No, I think he'll be okay!" Jongin replied, his voice brimming with building confidence.

"But he's gotta get through the atmosphere's high temperatures!"

Baekhyun clenched his fists, praying for Sehun's safety in his mind. He had to remind himself of his own feeble belief, that everything would be ok and that he and Sehun would live in peace together. That they would travel the world together just like he always imagined.

Yet a fear still grew in Baekhyun's heart, and a small tear trickled down his cheek as he watched Sehun.  
  
  


—————————————

 

Sehun's suit started burning up in the high temperatures of the atmosphere as he flew in front of the falling piece. Once he had gotten far enough ahead of it, he turned around to face it, taking aim at it with his buster rifle. His whole suit was shaking and he was having a hard time aiming from the sporadic movement of his arms. Pieces of his suit began to break apart and fly off from the pressure of falling, and the controls started malfunctioning with sparks. His target crosshairs were shaking on the screen, making it difficult for him to lock onto his target as he built up a large amount of energy in his rifle.

"...Baekhyun..." He softly spoke to himself, "Let's go home."

Using all the strength in his arms, Sehun stabilized his controls, allowing him to lock onto his target and fire a massive blast towards the falling piece.  
  
  


—————————————

 

All that was seen on the screens inside the Mo-2 was a blinding flash of light. Baekhyun still had tears in his eyes as he anxiously waited for the light to dissipate, the entire crew around him also quiet as they waited to see the result of the blast.

Once the light finally dimmed, nothing was left of the Libra piece, or Sehun's suit.

Baekhyun stared at the screen in disbelief, the shock of it too horrible for him to fully take in. He crumpled to the floor, his mind going numb as tears continued to slowly trickle down his cheeks. His eyes stayed fixated on the screen, a part of him still hoping that Sehun would magically appear.

Once every last lingering explosion finally cleared, the reality sunk in, and Baekhyun let out a pathetic sob.

Everyone around him lowered their heads, also feeling the remorse from the bittersweet victory. They remained silent as they listened to Baekhyun's heartbroken tears, the depth of his pain evident in every sound he made.  
  
  


—————————————

 

_"The year is After Colony 195. On this day the formation of the United Nation is passed at a conference between Earth and the colonies. At last true piece had been obtained."_

Chanyeol clicked the button on the remote, turning off the television. He sat in silence with Kyungsoo, neither of them feeling like celebrating. They lowered their heads and simultaneously sighed, wishing somehow the war had ended at different price.

It had taken more than Sehun's life. It had taken Baekhyun's as well. Even though Baekhyun was still alive and breathing, he might as well have been a corpse. Chanyeol and Kyungsoo did their best to take care of him, always staying by his side and forcing him to eat. Baekhyun never left the bedroom, everything surrounding him was too painful for him to handle. Everything reminded him of Sehun.

Whether it was the simple falling of rain, a song on the radio that Sehun used to have on his phone, or a packet of gum in the store. He couldn't take it, all of it made him break down into heart wrenching tears.

Not that the bedroom was much better. There were so many memories he shared with Sehun in that room. It had remained untouched since they left for outer space, unscathed by the destruction OZ had caused that day.

There were traces of Sehun all around him. His clothes were still hanging in the closet, his smell still lingering on the bedsheets, his towel in the bathroom. No matter what Baekhyun did, his mind couldn't escape Sehun.

One of the more difficult things for Baekhyun to cope with was whenever he went to brush his teeth. Sehun's toothbrush was still sitting inside the cup with his own, side by side. As much as it affected him before, it was even more impactful now. It never ceased to make him cry. The image of Sehun standing next to him in the mirror was all he could think about as he scrubbed his teeth, tears trickling down his cheeks the entire time.

The only contact he had with the outside world was the meals Kyungso would bring him to eat. He hardly even roused as he heard the knock at the door, and didn't have the strength to answer him. Kyungsoo always waited a few seconds before opening the door, knowing that Baekhyun wouldn't respond. The delicious smell that wafted into the room wasn't enough to tempt Baekhyun to sit up. He didn't even notice the aroma, all his senses had been muted. There was no more color in the world.

"I'm not hungry." Was always the first thing Baekhyun said as Kyungsoo sat next to him.

"You're going to eat anyway."

Baekhyun hardly touched his food, the amount he consumed was barely enough to keep him alive, but Kyungsoo made sure he at least ate some daily supplements. Kyungsoo tried to talk to him about ordinary things, but his words always turned to silence in Baekhyun's mind. Nothing was able to reach him, only thoughts of Sehun.

After eating Kyungsoo forced Baekhyun to take a shower, only attempting this every few days. It was a difficult process getting Baekhyun out of bed and motivating him enough to clean himself. Kyungsoo had faith Baekhyun would be ok again, that he would make it through this. He didn't realize just how broken Baekhyun was, how much pain he was experiencing. The only thing keeping him going was the promise he made to Sehun. It was a pinky promise after all, he wasn't allowed to break it.

One day, even if it took Baekhyun years, he was going to go outside and accomplish all the things on their list, believing that Sehun was right there next to him.

But for now, the only thing he did was weep. At night, when Kyungsoo finally left him alone, Baekhyun would cry himself to sleep. Quiet tears rolled down his cheeks as he he kept their list constantly crumpled up inside his hands.

But tonight was a little different. Baekhyun hadn't been brave enough to look through the photos on his phone ever since he lost Sehun. It had been a month since he had seen any other expression on Sehun's face besides the smile he was wearing in the framed photograph of them together. He couldn't take it anymore, he needed to see Sehun.

He went to the very beginning, to the very first picture he took of Sehun laying on the beach. It seemed like so long ago, even though it was only a year before. One short year that Baekhyun would cherish for the rest of his life.

Tears continuously streamed down his cheeks as he flipped through the photographs, each picture bringing back a precious memory.

Occasionally he watched a few videos as well. Sehun seemed so close, it almost felt like he could reach out and touch him. He was right there, sitting on a carousel horse next to him, peacefully looking out at the park as they rode in circles. Baekhyun would give anything to even experience such a simple moment as that again, as long as Sehun was next to him.

The video of Sehun eating his birthday cake was the hardest for him to watch, remembering how Sehun said that was one of his favorite memories. He wondered if Sehun had a new favorite, something more precious to him than that moment. They had shared so much time together after that, Baekhyun desperately wanted to know what moments Sehun treasured the most.

After gasping in tears for a moment, Baekhyun went to the text messages Sehun had sent him. They didn't have very many, and Baekhyun easily scrolled to the top, looking at the very first conversation they had. His eyes focused on the last few messages in the conversation, reading the words slowly.

_Baekhyun:_  
_Well, for now. There will always be things I'd like to show you_ (~´ㅅ`)~✎

_Sehun:_  
_Thank you. I like everything we've done together._

_Baekhyun:_  
_I'm glad! Are you starting to enjoy normal life?_

_Sehun:_  
_Yes. A lot._

It was all Baekhyun could take, he let the phone fall out of his hands onto the bed as he lowered his head sobbing. His shaking hands reached for their crumpled list sitting on the bed next to him, bringing it up to his face to look at it.

He stared at the last item on the list, crossed off by Sehun. Sehun had fallen in love with him, his perfect Sehun.

It wasn't fair. He didn't get to spend even one moment being held in Sehun's arms, whispering their love to each other happily. Not one blissful kiss, knowing their feelings for each other were mutual. Not one night together, sharing their passionate feelings.

Baekhyun's eyes scanned up to the framed photograph sitting on his nightstand. He weakly reached out to grab it, bringing it close to himself to look at, despite the fact that his vision was highly impaired by the tears built up in his eyes. He could barely make out the image of them smiling together, his tears fell from his cheeks and landed onto the glass protecting the photo. More drops pattered against the photo as Baekhyun continued crying, a pathetic sound coming from his throat as he began sobbing loudly.

Chanyeol and Kyungsoo heard him weeping as they sat on the couch together watching a movie on a very quiet volume. They turned off the TV and looked at each other for a moment, realizing they were thinking the same thing. They went to stand and go towards Baekhyun's room, but paused when they heard an unusual sound.

They looked over at the front door, and listened to the sound of someone unlocking it. They watched as the doorknob turned by itself, and then the door was pushed open.

Both their eyes widened in shock. They didn't say a word as the man walked towards them, they only raised their hands, pointing towards Baekhyun's door. They watched as the man walked off down the hallway, leaving them in complete awe.

Baekhyun heard someone open his door, but he figured it was Kyungsoo and didn't react. He continued sobbing, desperately holding onto the photograph.

The man rushed over to the bed and yanked Baekhyun up in his arms, squeezing him tightly. Baekhyun stopped crying, surprised by the sudden attack. He pulled himself away to look up at the person holding onto him.

"...Baekhyun..." Sehun spoke softly, his cheeks also damp with tears.

Baekhyun couldn't speak, he only took a few breaths before the tears in his eyes started falling down his cheeks again. Sehun pulled Baekhyun close to his body, caressing him as he wept.

"Baekhyun I'm sorry."

Baekhyun continued crying, the only words that escaped his mouth in gasping breaths was Sehun's name. He held onto Sehun tightly, his hands trembling as they clenched onto him. Time was lost as they held onto each other, the only thing that mattered was that they were together.

At last, after an unknown amount of time, Baekhyun pulled back to look at Sehun's face again.

"I-It's really you..."

"It's me Baekhyun. It's your Sehun. I'm home."

Baekhyun smiled with a trembling lip, "My Sehun..."

Sehun leaned forward to kiss him, Baekhyun's lips still shaking as he pressed them close together. Baekhyun gasped a few times as they continued holding the kiss, and Sehun raised his hands to hold onto Baekhyun's cheeks. They lost themselves in the moment again, time standing still as they cherished the precious kiss.

When they finally backed away, they stared into each other's eyes, both of them wet with tears. Baekhyun took a deep breath and then suddenly punched Sehun's chest, a pathetic sob coming out of his throat.

"You tore my soul apart!!"

Sehun sighed and pulled Baekhyun close, "I'm sorry Baekhyun. I'll never leave you again."

"Of course not, I'm not letting you out of my sight!" Baekhyun continued to lightly punch Sehun's chest as he gasped.

Sehun kissed the top of his head, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. Baekhyun stopped punching him and gripped onto him again, taking another moment to appreciate the feeling of Sehun's arms wrapped around him.

"...Where have you been all this time? What happened to you after the explosion?"

"My Exo Suit was shot down to Earth. I don't remember what happened after that, I was in a coma this entire time. The second I woke up I came here."

A concerned expression suddenly covered Baekhyun's face, he unzipped Sehun's battle suit and lifted his shirt to look at his body. Sehun was wrapped in many bandages, even after a month he was still in the early stages of healing.

Baekhyun's face grew even more upset, "...I wish I was there to take care of you."

Sehun smiled, "You still can."

Baekhyun began to gently rub him, "Sorry I punched you."

Sehun laughed a little, "It's all right, I deserved it."

Baekhyun looked back up into Sehun's eyes, staring at him for a long moment before speaking, "There's so much I want to talk about."

Sehun nodded, "There's so much I want to tell you."

Baekhyun wiped his eyes, trying to clear his vision and get a better look at Sehun, "...I can't believe you're really here."

"It's our fate, we are meant to be together."

Baekhyun smiled tenderly and nodded. Sehun pulled Baekhyun closer to himself and slowly leaned over to kiss him, and Baekhyun reached up to grab onto Sehun's back. They kissed each other for a long time, each kiss full of their love for each other.

Baekhyun's hands started trembling as he held onto Sehun's back, and Sehun suddenly noticed Baekhyun's cheeks were wet. He pulled away and saw the tears in Baekhyun's eyes. Sehun smiled at him and raised his hand to wipe his tears.

"I love you Baekhyun."

"I...love you...Sehun." Baekhyun responded in choked tears.

Sehun leaned over and slowly kissed each of his eyes before pressing their cheeks together and quietly whispering in his ear, "...Baekhyun...When I'm with you like this...So much emotion surges through me."

Baekhyun closed his eyes and smiled, "It's the same for me."

Sehun smiled as well, hearing the happy sound in Baekhyun's voice. He rubbed his cheek against Baekhyun's and then placed another loving kiss on his lips.

"Sehun, I'm so excited to share everything with you."

"Me too. Our list will never end."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the ending of the story, all future chapters are bonus chapters, although there is still plenty more story content. I would like to say thank you guys so much for reading this story all the way to the end. Maybe some of you just skipped around, reading tidbits of it, but that's ok, I understand. I still appreciate you reading this. I apologize for the long break between updates sometimes, but I hope you were still able to follow everything and enjoyed it!


	33. Bonus Chapter 1- A Fulfilled Promise

The smell of Baekhyun's warm skin was the first thing Sehun experienced as he woke up nuzzled in the nape of Baekhyun's neck, spooning Baekhyun's naked body and loosely holding onto him. He smiled as he opened his eyes, lightly caressing Baekhyun's skin as he moved his hand to his hips and pulled him closer. He placed a trail of kisses along Baekhyun's neck, moving slowly as he inhaled Baekhyun's smell in-between each press of his lips.

Baekhyun awoke to the gentle touch of Sehun's kisses, his lips skimming across his skin as he began to kiss his shoulder as well. Baekhyun took a deep breath, staring at Sehun in the reflection of the mirror on the closet doors. He watched as Sehun continued to cover him with loving kisses, his face carrying an affectionate expression as he lingered on each kiss.

Sehun stopped once he noticed Baekhyun's body shaking, and he looked up at the mirror to see tears in Baekhyun's eyes. Baekhyun started speaking in a trembling voice as he rolled his head to look up at Sehun.

"Y-You're re-really he-here."

Sehun smiled as he gently rolled Baekhyun onto his back and lowered his head to kiss Baekhyun's lips, "I'm here my love. I'll never leave you."

More tears flooded from Baekhyun's eyes as Sehun laid down next him, holding him closely. He wiped the tears from Baekhyun's cheeks and continuously pressed soft kisses on his forehead as Baekhyun spent a few more moments gasping.

"Don't worry, we're just going to relax and be together all day."

Baekhyun nodded and took a deep breath to calm himself. Sehun rubbed Baekhyun's arm as Baekhyun's breathing slowly returned to normal. They laid together silently for a long moment, simply enjoying each other's company.

Sehun's eyes wandered to the bedsheets, staring at a T-shirt sicking out from under Baekhyun's pillow. He had noticed the previous night that a collection of his clothing was gathered in the bed. He didn't need to ask Baekhyun why, knowing that he had probably slept with them for comfort.

"Have Do and Park been taking care of you?"

"Yes, they made sure I ate and tried to make me feel better. Especially Kyungsoo."

Sehun noticed Baekhyun calling Kyungsoo by his personal name, and spent a moment thinking it was honestly time he started calling Kyungsoo and Chanyeol both by their given name as well, especially considering that they had taken care of Baekhyun for him.

"I need to make sure to thank them."

Baekhyun sighed, "Me too. I put them through a lot."

Sehun sat up and smiled down at Baekhyun, pulling on his arm to make him sit up as well, "Come on, let's get dressed. I'm hungry and I miss your food."

Baekhyun smiled back at him and nodded. It had been a long time since he had left the bedroom, he was looking forward to getting some fresh air.

"Can we go for a walk after breakfast?"

"Of course."

Sehun stood up and got out of the bed, revealing his naked body still covered in bandages. Baekhyun watched him as he went to the dresser to grab some fresh clothes, deciding not to wear the outfit he had stripped off the previous night.

Baekhyun recalled the night fondly as he continued watching Sehun, comforted by the thought that it really wasn't a dream. It was so different than every other time they had sex together, the motivation behind Sehun's every movement was clearly not lust. Every touch of his fingers and kiss they shared as Sehun slowly moved inside him was brimming with affection. It was the first time they ever made love, their hearts finally connected as they shared their feelings in the most intimate way. Baekhyun felt like Sehun's precious treasure, his eyes glistened with tears the entire time, desperately squeezing onto Sehun's hand. Sehun spent long moments staring down into Baekhyun's eyes, squeezing his hand back as if to say "I love you" with each grip. Even just the memory of it melted Baekhyun's heart.

Sehun noticed Baekhyun daydreaming once he had finished getting dressed. He smiled as he grabbed some more clothes from the dresser and came over to Baekhyun, sitting next to him on the bed. He started dressing Baekhyun, pulling his shirt over his head and kissing his lips once his head had popped back out. Baekhyun laughed a little as he grabbed the rest of the clothes from him, pulling on his underwear and pants on his own.

Sehun grabbed Baekhyun's hands and pulled him out of bed, kissing him again once they were standing together.

"Ready?"

Baekhyun nodded happily, "Mm."  
  
  


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Baekhyun held tightly onto Sehun's hand as they walked around the campus together, the ridiculous fear that if he let go Sehun might disappear again looming over him. The pain of losing Sehun was still too near for his heart to trust letting go. They wandered around aimlessly, not going anywhere in particular as they enjoyed the simple stroll together, looking around at the nature surrounding them. Baekhyun spent long moments staring at Sehun walking beside him, and Sehun would smile back at him, neither one of them uttering a word.

Everyone was in class during this time, and many students spotted them walking around together. They caused quite a scene in a few of the classrooms, girls rushing to the window upon recognizing Sehun's face. He had become quite the illustrious hero after the majority of the people in the world and outer space witnessed his tragic victory during the war. It was still presumed that Sehun had died, and seeing him walk around campus was quite a shock.

"Well this will be new for you. You're like a celebrity now." Baekhyun laughed a little upon seeing the commotion in the classrooms.

Sehun remained silent, thinking about the idea of being famous. He had spent his entire life working as a secret agent, it was certainly going to take him a while to get used to the idea of everyone recognizing his face.

"Maybe we should go somewhere else."

"Where do you want to go?"

"...Well, I need to do some grocery shopping." Baekhyun responded after thinking for a moment.

Sehun smiled and nodded, "Ok, let's go."  
  
  


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As they stood in the line to purchase their food, Baekhyun glanced over and noticed some packets of gum for sale. He took a deep breath and looked back over at Sehun, reassured to see him standing next to him.

"What's wrong?" Sehun asked, noticing the painful look in Baekhyun's eyes.

Baekhyun let out a sigh, "...Nothing...It's just..." He raised his hand and pointed at the gum, "This would always make me cry."

Sehun looked down at, thinking for a moment why it would upset Baekhyun. It didn't take him long to understand, and he quickly went to grab one of the packets.

"That was your favorite memory, I don't want it to be painful for you." Sehun responded as he placed the gum down with their other food items.

Baekhyun smiled and nodded at Sehun, appreciating the gesture. He was looking forward to sharing a simple moment like that with Sehun again, just chewing on some gum as they enjoyed each other's company.  
  
  


———————————

 

After unloading the groceries, Sehun and Baekhyun sat on the couch together, taking a moment to relax. Sehun smiled at Baekhyun and kissed him, pulling the packet of gum out of his pocket as he moved away. He opened the wrapper and popped the stick of gum in his mouth, immediately starting to chew on it.

"I never did blow a bubble."

Baekhyun smirked as he watched him, only hesitating for a moment before suddenly stretching out his leg and hopping over onto Sehun's lap, resting both his legs on either side of him. He stared at Sehun with a flirtatious expression before he leaned forward to kiss him, sneaking his tongue into Sehun's mouth to steal the gum.

"Here, let me show you again."

Sehun smirked as Baekhyun stuck his tongue out, stretching the gum on it, purposely lingering on the erotic imagery for a moment. He slowly filled it with air, creating a bubble in front of both their faces. After reaching a rather large size, Sehun leaned forward to bite into it, popping it and stealing the gum back from Baekhyun.

"I see. "

Baekhyun reached down to start unzipping Sehun's pants, continuing to stare at him with a lustful expression, "Let me show you how I blow something else."

Suddenly there was a knock at the door, and Sehun let out a sigh as Baekhyun turned his head to look over at it. They both knew there was only two possible people that would be knocking, and they had been waiting to see them again. Baekhyun got up off Sehun's lap and made his way over to the door, opening it after unlocking the latch.

"Hi guys." Baekhyun smiled as he stared at Chanyeol and Kyungsoo standing together.

Both of them looked around the room and immediately spotted Sehun coming towards them. They let out a quite sigh of relief, glad to see that they really hadn't imagined seeing him the other night.

Sehun bowed once he reached them, staying in a bent position as he spoke, "I can't thank you enough for looking after Baekhyun."

"...You're welcome...But how..." Kyungsoo answered as he stared at Sehun with a puzzled expression.

Sehun continued bowing, and Baekhyun decided to answer for him, "He was in a coma. His Exo Suit landed here on Earth."

Baekhyun suddenly bowed as well, joining Sehun, "I'm really sorry for all the trouble I put you through. I know that was really hard for you and Chanyeol."

"Don't worry about it, you're my friend, I know you would do the same for me." Kyungsoo replied as he waved his hand, trying to get them to stand again.

They both remained bowing for a long moment, until Chanyeol finally shouted at them, "Come on, stop bowing! We should be the ones bowing to Sehun."

Baekhyun stood up with a smile and reached for Sehun's hand, pulling him up as well.

"I'm really glad you two are together again." Kyungsoo smiled, "But let's not throw a party over it."

Baekhyun laughed and gave Kyungsoo a mischievous smile, "Why not?"

Kyungsoo sighed, "I don't trust you."

Baekhyun laughed again as he welcomed them inside, both of them still awkwardly standing in the doorway.

"We actually have something to tell you." Kyungsoo started as Baekhyun closed the door.

"What's up?"

"Well, Kim Jongin has offered us all a job."

"A job?" Baekhyun asked curiously.

"The Earth's Sphere Unified Nation has formed a secret intelligence organization to prevent any future conflicts from escalating. They want to hire us all."

Baekhyun stared at him blankly, surprised by the sudden offer, and Kyungsoo continued, realizing he should elaborate more, "They've already offered us some pay in advance, but they feel like we deserve some time off, so they won't be recruiting us yet. It's just something to think about."

Baekhyun looked over at Sehun, wondering what he thought of it. Sehun seemed intrigued by the idea, but also looked over at Baekhyun to see his reaction. They shared a silent glance with each other before Baekhyun shrugged his shoulders.

"Why not? I can't live off my family's money forever."

Sehun smiled and nodded in agreement, "We're pretty good at that stuff."

Baekhyun laughed at Sehun's answer and went over to hug him, "Yeah we are."

Chanyeol gave them a thumbs up, a giant smile on his face, "Good, it wouldn't be the same without you guys."  
  
  


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Baekhyun was busy making some lunch in the kitchen, mixing a bowl of ingredients as he glanced at a recipe on his phone. He put down his spoon and grabbed the phone, scrolling down to look at the next step, but paused once he suddenly heard music start playing. Sehun often liked to put on music, but it was the particular song that caught Baekhyun's attention, it was the song he and Sehun first waltzed to. Baekhyun noticed Sehun appear in the doorway, and smiled as he turned to look at him. Sehun smiled back at him as he came towards him, taking Baekhyun's hand and pulling him away from his cooking. Baekhyun laughed as Sehun started spinning around with him, moving around the kitchen as if it were a dance floor.

"You're pretty cute."

Baekhyun smirked as he looked up into Sehun's eyes, "You're pretty sexy."

Sehun scrunched up his brow, making an exaggerated confused expression, "Wait, I think we've met somewhere before."

Baekhyun giggled, deciding to play along with Sehun's little game, "We have?"

"Yes, we've definitely met before. We made a promise."

"A promise?"

"Yes, a pinky promise."

Baekhyun smiled, his face melting into a tender expression from Sehun's words. Sehun stopped dancing as the music continued playing in the background, and stared at Baekhyun with an equally warm smile. He reached into his pocket and pulled out an envelope, handing it to Baekhyun. Baekhyun only looked at it for a short moment before grabbing it, excited to see what it was. After quickly tearing it open, he found a reservation for the Italian restaurant they had gone to together before.

"What is this for?"

"A promise to attend your next birthday. I swear I won't rip it up and threaten to kill you."

Baekhyun laughed, "Oh yes, I remember you now."

Sehun smiled in amusement as he leaned forward to give Baekhyun a sweet kiss, it only lasted a short moment before Baekhyun pulled away with a smirk.

"I kind of like the threatening though."

Sehun laughed, pausing for a moment before he smirked back at Baekhyun and pushed him against the wall, trapping him with his arm.

"Oh yeah? Should I have invited you like this?"

Baekhyun bit his lip and raised one of his shoulders as Sehun used his other hand to grab onto his waist.

"You're coming with me on your birthday, I won't let you be with anyone else but me. Then I'm taking you back to my place and I'm going to do whatever I want to you."

Baekhyun continued biting his lip as he wiggled a little, "Yeah, I like that."

Sehun smirked and leaned down to whisper in his ear, "Non puoi neanche immaginare che cosa ho in serbo per te, sarai così disperato da voler sapere che cosa sto dicendo, ma l'unica cosa che capirai sarà il mio tocco." _(You have no idea what I plan to do to you. You will be desperate to know what I'm saying, but my touch will be the only thing you will understand.)_

Baekhyun took a deep breath, it had been a long time since he heard Sehun speak Italian, and he spent a moment cherishing it, "What did you say?"

An amused smirk remained on Sehun's lips as he shook his head, "I can't tell you."

Baekhyun laughed and hit his arm, "Come on!!"

"No, you have to wait."

Baekhyun let out a sigh, regretting the fact that he hadn't bothered learning even one word of Italian. Sehun stared at Baekhyun's frustrated expression, relishing in it for a moment before he leaned over and kissed him again.  
  
  


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Sehun and Baekhyun walked together along the sidewalk, Baekhyun holding onto his arm as he rested his head on Sehun's broad shoulder. They were dressed in formal clothes appropriate for the Italian restaurant, both of them wearing button up shirts and slacks. They passed by many buildings that were under construction, the entire Kingdom was getting repaired after the destruction of the war. Luckily the restaurant was already back up and running, only receiving minor damages from the attack.

"I wasn't sure what to get you for a present..." Sehun spoke quietly.

Baekhyun smiled and nuzzled up against him, "It's ok Sehun, Being with you is all I need."

After entering the restaurant and being show to their seat, Sehun pulled out Baekhyun's chair and Baekhyun smiled happily as he sat down, loving being treated this way. The waiter handed them their menus before walking away, and Sehun quickly opened his, lifting it to his face to begin reading.

Baekhyun opened his menu and paused in surprise. Instead of a menu there is a handwritten list.

_I love you because:_  
You love life  
You give the best massages  
You cook me delicious food  
You sing to me  
You are beautiful  
The way you dance  
You love nature  
You're scared of strange things  
We're partners  
You like lists  
You cry when you're happy  
You bite me  
You're always showing me new things  
You take lots of pictures of us  
You cherish every moment  
You taught me to love life 

Baekhyun read it slowly, tears forming in his eyes as he lingered on each item of the list. Sehun peeked over his own menu, watching Baekhyun with a smile. Eventually Baekhyun put down his menu and looked up at Sehun.

"You're so perfect."

Sehun leaned over the table and kissed him, "Happy Birthday Baekhyun."

Baekhyun smiled, "I love you."

"I love you."

Sehun sat back down, scooting closer to Baekhyun as he held his menu out for both of them to look at. However, Baekhyun continued staring at his own, and took out his phone to take a picture of it.

"Here, hold it while I take a picture."

Sehun smiled and picked it up off the table to hold it for him. Baekhyun took another picture, and then went to take the paper out of the menu, but Sehun stopped him.

"It's ok, I asked if we could keep it."

Baekhyun smiled happily as he lowered his hands, taking the menu from Sehun instead. They picked out their food, and the waiter eventually came over to take their order, which Sehun asked for in Italian. Baekhyun smirked as he watched him, and once the waiter walked away, he started rubbing Sehun's leg with his foot under the table.

"So, you're eighteen today?" Sehun asked, ignoring the flirtatious look on Baekhyun's face.

Baekhyun smiled, "Yup. You're eighteen too, right?"

"Probably."

Baekhyun laughed, "Ok. Maybe I should try to find your records."

"Sure, I've never bothered looking."

"I don't really care about age, but I'd just like to know." Baekhyun laughed again.

"Me too."

After they finished eating their meal, they lingered together for a while just sipping on their drinks and enjoying the atmosphere of the restaurant, sharing affectionate glances with each other. Eventually Sehun reached into his pocket, and Baekhyun was surprised to see him pull out an envelope. Sehun handed it to Baekhyun, and Baekhyun grabbed it from him with a smile.

"What is with all these secret envelopes?"

"Just open it." Sehun smirked.

"I thought you didn't know what to get me."

Sehun continued smirking as he remained silently staring at Baekhyun. Baekhyun's smile turned into a smirk as well as he started opening it, tearing at it gently with his hands. He paused for a moment as he pried it open, looking down at what was inside. His eyes widened as he pulled out two plane tickets, and quickly looked up at Sehun with a smile.

"Italy!?"

Sehun simply nodded, still smirking at Baekhyun. Baekhyun got out of his seat and ran over to Sehun, jumping onto his lap to hug him. Sehun wrapped his arms around him, squeezing him as he whispered into his ear.

"Amore mio, non c'è niente al mondo più bello di te e non mi importa che cosa ne sarà di noi, l'importante é che siamo insieme."

Baekhyun bit on his lip, thoroughly enjoying everything about the moment, "What did you say?"

"My love, there is no place in the world more beautiful than you, so it does not matter to me where we go as long as you are with me."

Baekhyun wiggled on Sehun's lap, nuzzling closer to him, "I love you so much."

Sehun smiled and kissed his cheek, "I love you."  
  
  


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They had barely stepped through the door after returning to their dorm before Sehun grabbed Baekhyun's hand and started pulling him into the bedroom. Baekhyun smirked as he followed Sehun, also excited to get to this part of their evening. Once they reached the bed, Sehun stopped moving and turned to face Baekhyun, pulling him into a kiss. Baekhyun eagerly reached for the buttons on Sehun's shirt as they continued smashing their lips together in a sloppy heated mess. He had a difficult time concentrating on his task as Sehun's mouth migrated away from his lips and began placing hot kisses on his neck. His hands went limp as he rolled his head to the side, letting out a quiet breath as Sehun sucked on his flesh.

Sehun pulled his face away, noticing that Baekhyun had gone weak, and suddenly shoved him onto the bed. Baekhyun made a small sound of surprise as he landed on the sheets, unprepared to fall backwards. He smiled up at Sehun once he landed, ardently looking up and down his body as Sehun finished unbuttoning his shirt and threw it onto the floor. Sehun remained standing as he smirked at Baekhyun, watching as he wiggled a little impatiently.

"I made something for you."

Baekhyun stared at him with intrigue, and watched as he went over to the nightstand and pulled something out of the drawer. Before Baekhyun could see what it was, Sehun had already approached him and started wrapping a cloth around his head, blindfolding him.

"Aspettami, torno subito." _(Wait for me, I'll be right back.)_

Baekhyun bit down on his lip, extremely pleased to hear the seductive tone in Sehun's voice as he spoke to him in the foreign language. No longer able to see his surroundings, he listened to the sound of Sehun's footsteps leaving the room, left curiously wondering what Sehun had said to him. It didn't take long until he heard Sehun return, placing something down on the nightstand. He felt a shift in the bed as Sehun crawled next to him, sitting close to him. Sehun's fingers began to work at the buttons on his shirt, slowly undoing each one as Baekhyun laid silently waiting for whatever Sehun had planned.

With a heavy breath and rising of Baekhyun's small chest, the flap of his open shirt slipped off his body, revealing his bare skin. Sehun smirked as he stared down at him, he reached out his hand, slowly crawling across Baekhyun's skin before sneaking his hand under the other flap and sliding it off, revealing his entire torso.

There was a short pause of silence as Baekhyun waited, feeling a shift in the bed again as Sehun reached for something. He shuddered as a cold substance pressed against his skin, Sehun tracing it along his body with his finger.

"Senti freddo? Mi piace quando stai tremando." _(Is it cold? I love it when you shiver.)_

Baekhyun bit down on his lip again, continuing to shiver as he concentrated on the sound of Sehun's voice. Goosebumps appeared on his skin as Sehun's finger wandered all across his body, occasionally stopping to grab more of whatever the cold substance was. Eventually he stopped, and Baekhyun gripped on the sheets as he waited.

"Mi piace quando sei disordinato e lo sarai ancora di più quando avrò finito con te." _(I like it when you are messy. You will be even more messy when I am done with you.)_

He shuddered again once he felt Sehun press his tongue against him, moving up his body and licking off the cold substance he had rubbed on him. Sehun's tongue felt hot in comparison to the lowered temperature of his body, but left a trail of moisture that made him shiver as the exhale of Sehun's breath drifted across his skin. Sehun took his time cleaning off his body, making sure to lick up every last bit of the mess, occasionally sucking on his skin. Baekhyun tightly gripped onto the sheets, squirming his body and letting out small gasps from the tickle of Sehun's tongue stroking against him.

Sehun sat up and paused watching as Baekhyun continued writhing even after he had stopped touching him. He smiled, enjoying the look on Baekhyun's face.

"Ti piace? Ancora?" _(Do you like it? Do you want more?)_

Baekhyun felt Sehun place another cold dollop on his skin, making circles around his nipples. He rolled his head to the side and quietly moaned as Sehun sucked on them, slowly caressing them with his tongue.

"Adoro giocare con il mio cibo prima di cominciare a mangiare." _(I like to play with my food before I eat it.)_

After another pause, Baekhyun was surprised to feel Sehun press his finger against his lips, dragging the substance across them. Baekhyun stuck out his tongue to get a taste of it, quickly realizing it was whipped cream. Sehun leaned down and passionately kissed him, sucking the rest off his lips. He stayed close to Baekhyun's face as he whispered to him seductively.

"Hai un buon sapore." _(You taste delicious)_

Baekhyun didn't need to know what Sehun was saying to understand the lust in his voice. He bit on his lip, getting a faint taste of the whipped cream again as he waited for any movement from Sehun.

Baekhyun's whole body twitched and he gasped as a warm thick liquid dripped onto his body, drizzling over his stomach. He felt Sehun start tracing his body again, moving through the warm liquid, but he could tell he wasn't using his finger.

"Are you hungry?" Sehun asked, finally speaking to Baekhyun in a language he could understand.

Baekhyun smirked and opened his mouth, knowing very well what Sehun was dragging across his skin. Sehun straddled him, scooting close to his face, and Baekhyun opened his mouth a little wider in anticipation. Sehun held something up to his mouth, pressing it onto his lips. Baekhyun stuck out his tongue again, licking it slowly. The flavor of chocolate exploded in his mouth, and he noticed the texture of the object Sehun was holding up to his face. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion, and he bit down on it, filling his mouth with the delicious taste of a strawberry.

Sehun pulled it away as he watched Baekhyun chew on the small bite, smirking at the slightly perplexed expression on Baekhyun's face.

"I'm hungry for something else." Baekhyun responded after swallowing.

"What do you want?" Sehun teased, knowing exactly what Baekhyun was hoping for.

Baekhyun smirked, licking his lips, "My favorite thing to suck on."

Sehun's smirk grew larger as he watched Baekhyun's tongue wet his lips, and he felt himself throb at the vision of it. He leaned closer to Baekhyun, placing his hand on the wall for balance as he stared down at him.

Baekhyun felt Sehun press something against his lips again, and he smiled as he opened his mouth, slowly sneaking out his tongue to stroke it on the soft flesh covered with chocolate. He continued licking off the chocolate, sucking down on Sehun's head occasionally as he swallowed a mouthful. He heard Sehun grunting each time he swallowed, and he smirked to himself enjoying that Sehun was the one getting teased now. He slowed down the speed of his tongue, spending an extra long time stroking it along Sehun's shaft.

Sehun took a deep breath as he watched Baekhyun, realizing that he was playing with him. The intensity of his throbbing increased with each teasing lick, and it was becoming difficult for Sehun to hold it together. At last he pulled himself away, speaking to Baekhyun in a deep lustful tone.

"Non é abbastanza, sto morendo di fame." _(It's not enough, I'm starving.)_

Baekhyun felt Sehun tear at his pants and underwear, ripping them off and tossing them aside. He smiled as he adjusted his body, spreading apart his legs for Sehun to get in-between them. Sehun quickly fell on him, pressing their bodies close together and attacking his lips with an intense kiss. Baekhyun moaned into their kiss as Sehun entered him, pushing his full length inside him. He gripped on Sehun's back, pulling him in closer and smashing their faces together as he let out a long moan.

Their skin continued to stick together as Sehun moved back and forth, Baekhyun's body still covered with chocolate. Sehun occasionally lowered his head to lick Baekhyun's skin, sucking off the chocolate with a moan, his pleasure amplified by the sweet taste. Each time Sehun did, Baekhyun clutched tightly onto him and shoved their hips closer together, forcing Sehun deeper inside, the sensation of Sehun's tongue stroking against his skin overwhelming his mind with pleasure. Sehun noticed how stimulated Baekhyun was by it, and began focusing his attention on smothering Baekhyun's body with his mouth.

Baekhyun became a mess of crying moans as he continued pressing Sehun harder against himself, his head rolling back and forth as he let out heavy breaths, Sehun's tongue relentlessly wandering across his overly sensitive skin. Baekhyun began moving his hips more than Sehun was, his lust desiring an increased speed as he got closer to reaching his climax.

Sehun found one of Baekhyun's hardened nipples, and quickly began sucking on it as he continued thrusting into him, trying to keep up with Baekhyun's needy pace. Baekhyun let out a loud, lustful moan, throwing his head back and moving one of his hands to grip onto Sehun's hair, grabbing onto it tightly as Sehun continued playing with him. He let out a few more high pitched screams, Sehun's name interspersed between them as his body began to tremble, both his hands gripping onto Sehun even harder.

Sehun finally moved his face away from Baekhyun's body, and lifted himself up to refocus his attention on thrusting into Baekhyun, moving at an even faster pace than before as he began riding them through both their climaxes. Baekhyun continued to let out loud screams each time that Sehun rammed deep inside him, his body going weak from his prolonged tensing of his muscles. Sehun gripped onto Baekhyun's waist as he started to go even faster, moaning with Baekhyun as they both neared their end.

Baekhyun started shaking as he finished on both their bodies, letting out a final exhausted cry. Sehun only lasted a moment longer, continuing to thrust himself into Baekhyun before shoving himself deep inside and finishing as well, moaning deeply as he gripped tightly onto Baekhyun's waist.

After they stopped moving, they began to breathe heavily, both their bodies covered in a mixture of chocolate and semen.

Baekhyun continued panting as he raised his hand and lifted off his blindfold. He looked up at Sehun with a smirk, noticing that he was already staring down at him with a smilier expression. Sehun pulled out of him and laid down next to him, taking a few more heavy breaths. Baekhyun watched him, and noticed a plate of chocolate dipped strawberries behind him on the nightstand, already prepared.

Baekhyun bit down on his lip as he glanced back at Sehun, "You drive me so crazy."

Sehun smiled back at him before he reached over to grab one of the strawberries, bringing it to Baekhyun's face to feed him, "Did you have a good Birthday?"

Baekhyun sighed before taking a bite, "Extremely good."

Sehun kissed Baekhyun's cheek, watching as Baekhyun sunk his teeth into the strawberry, and then brought it to his own mouth to take a bite as well. They stared into each other's eyes affectionally as they chewed on the delicious treat.

"I'm so glad I taught you how to make that."

Sehun laughed as he swallowed his bite, "Me too."

Baekhyun smiled at him tenderly, pausing for a moment before raising his hand and starting to play with the hair on Sehun's forehead, brushing it back and letting it fall back down.

"...Baekhyun...Can you tell me how it makes you feel?"

"Our sex?"

"Yeah, I'm curious if I'm feeling the same thing."

Baekhyun smiled at him warmly, "It's... it's different each time. Sometimes it makes my heart feel like it's going to explode. I can just feel how much you love me... and sometimes...it's so sexy I can barely stand it... Every time though, it's like there is nothing else in the universe."

Sehun smiled back at him before leaning over and kissing him softly, "It's the same."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Credit to Moonharu for translating the Italian for me~ ♡


	34. Bonus Chapter 2- A New List

Sehun stood behind Baekhyun watching him as he typed on the computer, scrolling quickly through a list of information as he searched for Sehun's name, his eyes flashing across the screen.

"Here it is, I found it!"

Sehun leaned in closer to look at the screen with Baekhyun, focusing his attention on the part Baekhyun pointed to with his finger. Baekhyun began moving his finger along the text as he read it out loud.

"Oh Sehun. Born on April 12th AC 178 on the L1 Colony Cluster." He turned to look up at Sehun and smiled, "You're one month older than me."

Sehun smiled back at him, taking a moment to let the information sink in. It was such a strange thing to finally know his date of birth and age, he stared back up at the screen, memorizing the the numbers.

Baekhyun let out a dramatic sigh as he threw himself back in his seat, "I missed your birthday!"

Sehun laughed as he looked back down at him, "Italy will just be for both of us."

Baekhyun spent a moment staring at the screen before looking up at Sehun with a smirk, "I'll make sure to spoil you when we're there."

Sehun licked his lips, reading Baekhyun's expression and the seductive sound in his voice. He smirked back at Baekhyun as leaned down to kiss him.

"Sounds fair to me."  
  
  


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Baekhyun couldn't stop himself from smiling as they sat on the plane together, his fingers interlocked with Sehun's as they held hands. Even when he eventually fell asleep, his head resting on Sehun's shoulder, his smile still lingered on his lips in his dreams. Sehun stared down at him affectionally, and took a few secret photos of them together as Baekhyun slept.

Once they finally arrived and made it to their hotel, Baekhyun realized that Sehun had booked the same room they had stayed in on their previous visit. He gave Sehun a pleased smirk, his expression all Sehun needed to understand that Baekhyun was happy with his decision.

After getting their luggage settled in their room, they decided to go out for a walk. The city was bustling with people shopping, and Sehun held onto Baekhyun's hand as they made it through the crowd together. They wandered through the market, looking around at the fresh food for sale as they took in the wonderful aroma. Sehun noticed the flower shop they visited on their first trip to Italy, and pulled Baekhyun over to it. Baekhyun smiled once he realized where Sehun was taking him, and squeezed on Sehun's hand to let him know how happy he was.

"Vorrei una margherita." _(A white daisy please.)_

The woman working at the cart stopped arranging the flowers to turn and look at them. She stared at them in surprise, recognizing both of their handsome faces.

"Eccovi di nuovo. Stavolta hai i soldi con te?" _(It's you two again. You have some money this time?)_

"Certo, devo viziarlo, non voglio perderlo." _(Of course, I need to spoil him. I don't want to lose him.)_

She paused for a moment as she looked down at their interlocked hands, and then smiled as she reached for the daisy Sehun wanted. Baekhyun bit on his lip as he watched Sehun take it, realizing that he was buying him one.

Sehun smiled as he handed the flower to Baekhyun, "Un fiore per il mio amore." _(A flower for my love.)_

"You even remember what flower I was smelling before?" Baekhyun asked in a gentle voice as he took the flower.

"Of course, I memorize everything about you."

Baekhyun giggled as he leaned forward puckering his lips, and Sehun quickly gave him a peck in response. He pulled his wallet out of his pocket to pay for the flower, and the lady winked at him.

"In bocca al lupo, penso che ti terrà con se." _(Good luck, I think he'll keep you.)_

Sehun smirked as he handed her the money, "Grazie." _(Thank you.)_  
  
  


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They spent two weeks taking in the sights of Italy together; going on walks, visiting museums and cathedrals, riding a gondola in venice, and generally enjoying everything Italy had to offer them on their long trip.

On their last night, Sehun took Baekhyun to an expensive restaurant. Their table was outside, surrounded by trees filled with stringed lights. A violinist entertained everyone with soft music, amplifying the romantic atmosphere.

Sehun stared across the table at Baekhyun, noticing the somber expression on his face. He reached for Baekhyun's hands to grab them, holding onto them as he spoke.

"What's wrong?"

"It's our last night here...I never want this trip to end."

Sehun smiled as he squeezed his hands, "We can't stay here forever, we need to see the whole world."

Baekhyun weakly smiled, "Yeah... I'm really going to miss Italy though."

"Don't worry, we'll come back."

Baekhyun looked up at him and stared into his eyes, taking a deep breath as he tried not to let himself get too emotional. Sehun rubbed his hands with his thumbs, continuing to smile at him affectionally.

"Sei così bello. Da togliere il fiato."

Baekhyun kicked his foot lightly, allowing a happy smile to grow on his face, "What did you say?"

"You're so beautiful. You always take my breath away."

Baekhyun bit on his lip, his cheeks turning a little pink from Sehun's words as Sehun leaned across the table to kiss him. The entire trip Sehun had been flattering him with words like this, and each time Baekhyun rejoiced in his mind how he was finally going to spoil him during this trip. He was looking forward to later that night.  
  
  


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Sehun waited for Baekhyun on the sofa inside their hotel room, slipping off his tie and letting out a small yawn. He relaxed backwards as he started undoing his cufflinks, moving slowly after his filling meal.

Baekhyun suddenly opened the bathroom door, and Sehun looked over at him, quickly noticing what he was wearing. He was dressed in one of Sehun's sweaters, which was too large for his small frame and ended up falling off one of his shoulders, exposing his collarbone. His underwear was barely visible underneath it, which was the only other clothing he was wearing. But what caught Sehun's attention more was the long pink ribbon dangling from Baekhyun's neck, tied into a bow.

Sehun took a deep breath as Baekhyun slowly walked over to him, staring at him with a seductive expression. Baekhyun bit down on his lip once he reached Sehun, looking down at him with a smirk on his face.

He crawled onto Sehun's lap, scooting close to him as he continued staring into his eyes. Sehun smirked as he slowly leaned forward to kiss him, but Baekhyun stopped him, placing a finger on his lips.

"I told you I would spoil you when we came here. This is a birthday present for you."

Sehun continued smirking at him, backing away a little to look at Baekhyun's face better. Baekhyun moved his hand to caress the back of Sehun's hair, speaking to him in a soft voice.

"But you can't unwrap me just yet, you have to wait. No touching."

Sehun took a large gulp as Baekhyun slowly moved his hands down his neck, making his way to the front of Sehun's body, skimming across his collar bones until he reached the buttons on Sehun's shirt. Sehun closed his eyes as he enjoyed the feeling of Baekhyun's hands moving across him, slowly working on undoing each button.

Baekhyun smirked once he undid the last button, spreading open his shirt and taking in the sight of Sehun's well toned muscles. He began to caress Sehun's body, starting at his defined collar bone and migrating downward until he reached his abs. He lightly skimmed his hand over each ripple of his muscles, enjoying how firm and strong they felt. Sehun occasionally twitched a little, the light touch from Baekhyun's hand tickling his skin. Baekhyun's fingers eventually began to sneak under the waist of his pants, playing dangerously close to his crotch, the proximity to which made Sehun throb slightly.

Baekhyun spread his palms on his body as he pushed his hands back up to Sehun's shoulders, holding onto them. As he gripped tightly onto them, he began to roll his hips, moving them from side to side as he pressed down on Sehun's lap, rubbing his butt on Sehun's crotch. Sehun inhaled a large breath of air as he bit down on his lip, staring at Baekhyun's exposed neck and the pink ribbon swaying slightly as Baekhyun moved.

Baekhyun smirked as he felt Sehun get hard, and continued to rub his butt against his protruding erection for a short moment longer. He stopped moving his hips as he let go of Sehun's shoulders, slowly pulling his hands away and letting them linger on Sehun's collar before bringing them to his own body.

Sehun watched closely as Baekhyun's slender fingers gripped onto the bottom of his sweater, very slowly lifting it to reveal his bare body. Sehun clenched his hands, extremely tempted to reach out and touch his creamy soft skin. The temptation became even worse once Baekhyun finished puling it off and threw it aside, the only things he was left wearing were his underwear and the pink bow around his neck, the strands from the ribbon falling down onto his body and complementing the shade of his nipples.

Baekhyun followed Sehun's eyes, and knew where he was looking. He stared at Sehun with a lustful expression as he slowly moved one of his hands to caress his own skin, delicately tracing his body with the tips of his fingers. Sehun's eyes followed his hand, Baekhyun's fingers mocking his inability to touch him himself, drawing attention to each part of Baekhyun's body. Baekhyun migrated his hand upward, moving from his lower abdomen until he reached his nipple.

Sehun took a deep breath as he watched Baekhyun skim across it, grazing it slightly before pinching on it, twisting it in his fingertips. Sehun clenched his hand again as he felt his erection throb, the motion torturously teasing him as it turned a deeper shade of pink.

Sehun couldn't look at it any longer, the vision of it too tempting for him. He stared up into Baekhyun's eyes as he inhaled another large breath, hoping Baekhyun would be done playing with him soon.

Baekhyun smirked as he moved both his hands forward to caress them through Sehun's hair. Sehun closed his eyes as Baekhyun leaned forward, moving his face close to Sehun's ear. While he played with Sehun's hair in his fingers, he moaned quietly into his ear with an exhaled breath, causing Sehun to clench up his body as he felt another large throb.

Baekhyun could feel him throbbing, and smirked as he scooted back off his lap, reaching his hands downward to start unzipping his pants. He stood up to start taking Sehun's pants off, and Sehun didn't waste any time helping, ripping them off himself. After Sehun tossed them aside, Baekhyun snuck back onto his lap.

He reached for Sehun's hair again as he started rolling his hips, moving in a circular motion on Sehun's lap. Sehun groaned as he felt Baekhyun rub against him, the little amount of friction only enough to rouse him more. Baekhyun leaned forward as he continued moving his hips, and bit onto Sehun's ear, moaning in a high pitched breath.

Sehun couldn't take it anymore, and went to reach for him. Baekhyun noticed before he could touch him, and smirked as he shoved himself off his lap, pushing Sehun back against the couch.

While Baekhyun was standing, he slowly turned around to face the opposite direction. Sehun breathed heavily as he watched Baekhyun move his hands, slipping off his underwear and lowering them to the floor before stepping out of them.

Baekhyun continued facing the opposite direction as he backed up towards Sehun, reaching for Sehun's arms to steady himself as he lowered onto Sehun's lap with his naked body. He leaned back against Sehun's chest and raised his hands to grab the back of Sehun's hair again, exposing his neck to Sehun's face. He started to roll his hips again as he let out a series of high pitched moans, caressing Sehun's hair as he moved back and forth.

Sehun clenched his teeth as he stared at the ribbon strands bouncing on Baekhyun's body. It was the last straw. He forcefully grabbed Baekhyun's waist, lifting him off his lap so he could rip off his own underwear. As he was standing, he lowered his head and bit down onto one of Baekhyun's ribbon strands with his teeth, pulling it off and undoing the bow. He sat back down and shoved Baekhyun down on his lap again once the silky ribbon fell to the floor, aligning himself with Baekhyun's hole and shoving himself inside.

Baekhyun let out a loud moan as Sehun started thrusting himself up into him, holding onto his waist tightly as he moved at an aggressive pace. After getting out his initial rush of pent up tension, he reached forward with one of his hands to pinch on Baekhyun's nipple, continuing to hump him as he twisted it in his fingers. Baekhyun threw his head back with a loud cry, exposing his neck to Sehun again as he deeply enjoyed the feeling of Sehun playing with him.

Sehun lowered his head to begin sucking on his neck, and Baekhyun melted against him, letting out a whimpering moan as Sehun moved his hand and reached for Baekhyun's penis, starting to pump it in time with his own pace. Baekhyun's moans continued to increase in volume until he was eventually screaming, each thrust inside him and tug of Sehun's hand bringing him closer to his climax. His voice finally weakened as he let out his last moan, his body wilting against Sehun again as he unloaded all over the floor. Sehun grabbed onto his waist tightly, shoving himself deep inside and enjoying the feeling of Baekhyun's clenched muscles as he finished. He moaned deeply into Baekhyun's ear as he reached his climax as well, filling Baekhyun with his warmth.

As they panted together, Sehun relaxed against the couch, Baekhyun still resting on him. He raised his hands to hold onto Baekhyun, squeezing him tightly. Baekhyun smiled and reached up to trace Sehun's jawline with his finger, caressing him for a moment before he spoke.

"Happy Birthday."

Sehun smirked, squeezing him again as he looked down at his face, "Thank you."  
  
  


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Despite Baekhyun's sadness for leaving Italy, it didn't take him long to adjust being at home again, since all he needed to be happy was Sehun. However, their trip to Italy was the last of their vacation time before they decided to go back to school, after all they only had a few months left before graduation.

That's when things became difficult for Baekhyun again. Separating from Sehun to go to his classes was torturous, but Sehun made sure to pick him up after every class and walk with him, holding hands as he brought him to his next class. He also made sure to send Baekhyun little text messages during class, just a few words letting him know how much he loved him.

The first thing Baekhyun always wanted to do once they got back to their room was just sit together on the couch and hold each other, Baekhyun usually seated on Sehun's lap snuggled up close to him. Sehun would rub his back, occasionally placing affectionate kisses on the top of his head.

Even though Sehun knew Baekhyun was upset going to class, he was actually concerned about graduating. He hadn't brought it up to Baekhyun yet, realizing it would be hard on him, but he had thought about the fact that they would have to leave their dorm. This had become their home, a place where they shared so many precious memories and first experiences together. He didn't want to say goodbye either, but he had been planning an idea on how to make the transition a little easier on the both of them.

As they sat on the couch together like usual, Sehun gave Baekhyun a tender kiss before moving Baekhyun off his lap to stand up. He reached out his arms to grab Baekhyun's hands, and began pulling him off the couch.

"Come here."

Baekhyun looked at him curiously as he stood up, letting Sehun lead him towards the door. Sehun opened the door and started walking outside, still holding onto Baekhyun's hand.

"Where are we going?"

"You'll see." Sehun smirked.

He remained silent as he walked with Baekhyun through the campus, bringing him to a certain location on the school grounds. Baekhyun looked around curiously, wondering why Sehun had brought him there. Sehun pulled Baekhyun in front of him, and then leaned down to kiss him, holding out his hand to take a picture of them both with his phone.

Baekhyun smiled once he heard the camera, and turned to look at it once Sehun pulled away. Sehun noticed how eager Baekhyun was to see it, and handed him the phone to let him look at the photograph.

They had never taken a picture together before sharing a kiss, and Baekhyun was overjoyed to look at it from a different perspective. His heart tightened at the sight of it, staring at their lips pressed close together. Even with their eyes closed, it was so easy to read the expressions on their faces and see how much they loved each other.

While Baekhyun was staring at it, Sehun reached for something in his pocket. Baekhyun looked over to see him holding onto a piece of paper, using a pen to mark on it.

"What's that?" Baekhyun asked as he tried to lean closer to see what was written on it.

Sehun smiled as he quickly hid it from him., "I made a list."

Baekhyun paused for a moment in surprise before smiling back at him, "A new one?"

Sehun continued smiling as he nodded, putting the list back in his pocket.

"What is it?"

Sehun paused, looking up into Baekhyun's eyes, "A list of all the places I should have kissed you."

Baekhyun couldn't hold back the large smile that grew on his face, and he looked around at his surroundings again to try and understand why this spot was significant. Sehun understood that he didn't remember, and decided to answer before Baekhyun asked.

"We had our snowball fight here. When I pinned you down, it was the first time I thought about kissing you."

Baekhyun froze for a moment as he stared back at Sehun, his expression softening into a tender smile. He recalled the memory in his mind, surprised that Sehun was thinking about anything close to kissing him at that moment.

"Come on, I want to cross off more." Sehun smiled as he grabbed Baekhyun's hand and started pulling him off again.

He brought Baekhyun to their car, and Baekhyun got excited once he realized they would be going somewhere far. After climbing inside, Sehun started driving, a smirk on his face as he felt Baekhyun's eyes on him, staring at him with curiosity.

Sehun pulled into a parking spot on the beach, a place Baekhyun fondly remembered for many reasons. Sehun got out of the car and went to Baekhyun's door, opening it for him with a smile. Baekhyun smiled back at him as he climbed out, holding onto Sehun's hand.

They walked along the shore together as Sehun examined the beach, Baekhyun noticed it seemed like he was looking for something. He watched Sehun's face until at last his eyes lit up and he started dragging Baekhyun to a particular spot. Baekhyun looked around briefly, realizing it was the spot they had sat and watched the sun rise together.

Sehun pulled Baekhyun in front of him, and then leaned down to kiss him, holding out his hand again to take another picture. Baekhyun smiled as Sehun pulled away, watching as he took out his list again.

Baekhyun began to wiggle a little in happiness, getting more and more excited. Sehun smiled as he put away his list and took Baekhyun's hand again, walking with him back to their car.

Baekhyun sat quietly the entire drive, his curiosity growing as he wondered to himself where Sehun would take him next. His curiosity was answered when Sehun pulled into the amusement park, and Baekhyun let out a laugh.

"Even here? But we need tickets."

Sehun only answered with a smirk, getting out of the car and opening Baekhyun's door again. Baekhyun smiled as they went up to the entrance booth together, and Sehun bought them both a ticket. Once they got inside, Sehun walked through the whole park without stopping, pulling Baekhyun along as he headed for the ferris wheel.

They got in line and Baekhyun couldn't stop himself from smiling, staring up at Sehun with unlimited affection as he squeezed tightly onto his hand. Once it was their turn, Sehun brought Baekhyun over to the woman controlling the ride instead of getting on.

"We want the number four gondola."

Baekhyun took a deep breath and held it in his chest, looking at Sehun in complete amazement. Baekhyun didn't really remember, but he figured it must have been the same gondola they rode together before, trusting Sehun's accurate memorization of everything they did together.

As they climbed inside, Sehun instructed Baekhyun which side to sit on, making sure it matched the first time they rode it. They rode together silently, and Baekhyun stared across at Sehun with a giddy expression on his face, excited for when Sehun would kiss him again. Sehun waited until they got to the top before leaning over to press their lips together, taking another picture.

"What did I do to deserve you?"

Sehun smiled tenderly at him, "What do you mean what did you do? You've done so much for me, I don't feel like I can ever really give it back."

Baekhyun smiled as he looked down at his own lap, tears beginning to fill his eyes, "You're just so perfect, it's still hard for me to grasp that you love me too. I didn't even know it was possible to be this happy."

Sehun leaned forward to kiss him again, and raised one of his hands to wipe Baekhyun's eyes, "I feel the same way."

Baekhyun glanced up at him, leaning forward as he invited Sehun to kiss him again. They shared a series of soft kisses, moving slowly as they enjoyed the love they felt from each other for the entire duration of the ride.

Once they got out, Sehun quickly crossed off his list before leading Baekhyun through the park again, going to the exit. Baekhyun laughed once he realized they were leaving.

"We really only came here for one ride?"

Sehun answered him with a silent smirk again as he continued walking, not even trying to hide his amusement as Baekhyun stared at him.

"I love you so much I just can't even tell you."

After another drive in the car, Sehun parked on the street in the city, close to the Italian restaurant. Baekhyun bit on his lip in anticipation, recognizing their surroundings.

Sehun lead him towards the restaurant and went up to the front podium, "We'd like a table for two."

The host nodded and began leading them to their seat, but Sehun suddenly stopped him, "That table by the fireplace please."

Baekhyun smiled over at Sehun as the host listened to his request, bringing them to their desired table. Sehun pulled out Baekhyun's seat, making sure he sat on the same side of the table as before, and Baekhyun sighed happily before sitting down.

Once the host walked away, Sehun reached forward to grab one of Baekhyun's hands, and used the other to take a photo as he leaned across the table to kiss Baekhyun.

"Seriously, you're perfect."

Sehun smirked, "You're perfect."

Before Baekhyun could make any kind of reply, Sehun grabbed the menus off their table and stood up out of his seat. Baekhyun followed Sehun with a smile as he went back to the front podium, handing the menus back.

"Sorry, we changed our mind."

The host stared at them in confusion as Sehun took out his list and crossed it off before they walked away together. Instead of going back to the car, Sehun lead Baekhyun down the street. Baekhyun watched Sehun's eyes, and realized he was examining the light posts. He shook his head in disbelief, wondering if Sehun really remembered which one it was.

Sure enough, Sehun stopped upon recognizing the appropriate post, remembering more where it was on the street rather than the particular lamp itself. He positioned Baekhyun in front of himself, noticing the shy smile on his face as he took out his phone again. Baekhyun treasured the kiss, just like all the others that evening as he heard the snap of the camera.

After another quick mark on his list, Sehun continued walking down the street, not turning around to go back to their car. Baekhyun felt a giddy sensation building up inside him as he followed, guessing where Sehun was headed next.

Sehun brought him over to a lake, but due to the warm weather, it wasn't frozen anymore. Instead of people ice skating, a few couples were rowing small boats. Sehun went over to the shack where the boats where being rented from and approached the counter. Baekhyun smiled to himself the entire time Sehun was busy paying for one, extremely touched how thorough Sehun was being about this.

Sehun helped Baekhyun get into the boat, steadying him by holding onto his hand as he stepped inside. Baekhyun sat down and relaxed as Sehun rowed the boat for them both, staring at Sehun affectionally the entire time. Sehun looked around carefully, making sure to find the right spot on the lake where they stood together before. Once he found it, he stopped paddling and smiled at Baekhyun. Baekhyun leaned forward, aware of the routine, and Sehun kissed his lips while taking the photo.

After the photo had been taken, Sehun crossed off his list and started rowing back, causing Baekhyun to smile. He liked how much effort and money Sehun was putting into taking one photo.

When they returned to the dock, the renter was confused why they had come back so quickly.

"That was quick, are you sure you're done?"

"Yes, thank you." Sehun smiled as he helped Baekhyun step out.

They finally returned to their car after a long walk, and Baekhyun riddled his mind trying to guess where Sehun would take him next. The sun began to set as they drove, the light in the sky becoming more dim as the soft colors of the sky slowly faded to darkness. Baekhyun didn't recognize any of the streets Sehun started driving on, and looked around in confusion when Sehun finally stopped in a small neighborhood.

"Where are we?"

Sehun smiled warmly before getting out of the car, refusing to answer as he went to Baekhyun's door to open it. Baekhyun looked up at him curiously before stepping out, holding onto Sehun's hand. Sehun lead him towards a small house, and Baekhyun still felt confused as Sehun took out a pair of keys, unlocking the door.

"...Sehun..." Baekhyun spoke quietly as he suddenly realized what was happening.

Sehun looked back at him with a smile, holding out his hand for Baekhyun as he stepped inside. Baekhyun grabbed his hand, tears starting to fill his eyes as he followed him. He looked around at the small house as Sehun closed the door and switched on the light, illuminating the empty room.

Baekhyun slowly stepped forward, staring around at the house in awe as his eyes continued to water. Sehun followed him until he stopped in the middle of the room. He went to look at Sehun, and watched as Sehun moved in front of him, staring down at him affectionally.

"Baekhyun, I love you with all my heart. There are so many things I still don't understand about life, but I know being with you is where I'm meant to be. As long as you are by my side, my life can never be empty. I look forward to sharing a never ending list of memories with you."

As Sehun finished speaking, he slowly kneeled down onto one knee, reaching into his pocket. Baekhyun let out a small gasp, the tears building in his eyes finally escaping down his cheeks as he watched Sehun pull out a ring.

"Baekhyun, will you marry me?"

Baekhyun let out another loud gasp as he fell to the floor, throwing his arms around Sehun's neck. He nuzzled into Sehun's chest, nodding many times as he answered with a quiet yes. Sehun smiled as he gently grabbed Baekhyun's left hand, moving it in front of himself. He slowly slipped the ring onto Baekhyun's slender finger, and Baekhyun continued crying as he watched Sehun bring it to his face, kissing the ring as he looked into Baekhyun's eyes.

"I love you Baekhyun."

Baekhyun took a quivering breath, "I love you Sehun."

Sehun let go of Baekhyun's hand and reached into his pocket, grabbing the list again. Baekhyun watched as Sehun crossed it off with a smile. He flipped it around for Baekhyun to see, and Baekhyun read the words that Sehun had just crossed off.

_Propose to Baekhyun_

His lip trembled as he continued reading, looking at the last thing on the list.

_Get married to Baekhyun_

Sehun continued smiling warmly as he watched Baekhyun start shaking with tears. He wrapped his arms around him and held him close, whispering to him softly.

"I need two more pictures. One at our old home, and one here, at our new house. From now on, we'll always take them in the places that are special to us and add them to our collection."

Baekhyun smiled, his lips twitching a little as he tried to stop crying. Sehun took out his phone and leaned forward to kiss him, holding onto Baekhyun's hand and making sure it was in the photo.

"Let me see." Baekhyun whimpered quietly, already reaching out his hand for the phone.

Sehun handed it to him, and they affectionally stared at the photo together for a long moment, looking back and forth between their faces and the ring on Baekhyun's finger.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Credit to Moonharu for translating the Italian for me~ ♡


	35. Bonus Chapter 3- Meant To Be

Baekhyun stared out the window at the stars, a feeling of calm coming over him as he gripped onto Sehun's hand. He had always hated going to outer space, but now that the war was over and Sehun was sitting safely beside him, he was able to finally let it go. It would still never compare to the Earth, but Baekhyun was beginning to appreciate the beauty of space as well.

Sehun leaned over to kiss his cheek, realizing that leaving Earth was hard for him. There was only one reason that would bring them back here, and that was to visit Baekhyun's family. After getting engaged, graduating, and moving into their new home, Baekhyun decided it was best to finally go back home and let his family know the he and Sehun were together.

Baekhyun had removed his engagement ring for the time being, not wanting his family to see it before he told them. It made him nervous to think about it, knowing that his mother wasn't going to be exactly receptive to the idea of him getting married at such a young age. It wasn't going to be easy to explain to her.

"I can't wait to show you my old home."

Sehun smiled down at him and squeezed his hand, "You mean castle?"

Baekhyun laughed, "Well yeah."

"I'm excited to see it."

Baekhyun paused for a long moment, looking back out the window, "...Me too. It's been so long."

Once they arrived on colony V-08744, they came down the escalator to see Dongwon waiting for them. He was surrounded by a group of bodyguards, all of them were tall and dressed in a nice suit. Baekhyun gave Dongwon a hug as he approached him, smiling at him warmly.

"I'm so glad to see that you're both all right."

Dongwon looked up at Sehun once Baekhyun backed away, and patted his shoulder lightly.

"It really is a blessing that you survived."

Sehun smiled and nodded, holding out his arm as Baekhyun came back to his side. Dongwon noticed Sehun wrap his arm around Baekhyun's waist, and paused for a moment staring at it.

He whispered quietly to them so that the guards couldn't hear, "Are you finally going to tell mother that the two of you are together?"

Baekhyun smiled, "Yes. Please try to help me explain to her, she won't understand."

Dongwon took a deep breath, giving Baekhyun a comforting expression, "I will."  
  
  


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They rode in a limousine to get to Baekhyun's home, it was the first time Sehun had ever been inside one. Baekhyun on the other hand was rather used to it, he had spent a lot of his childhood being shuffled around in one.

Dongwon sat across from them, sipping on a drink as they enjoyed the long ride, "Mother was really excited to hear you are bringing Oh along with you. Of course she only knows him from the war. She wants to hold a parade for you both, to honor you for your heroic deeds."

Baekhyun was busy looking out the window at the colony, and spotted a few banners hanging from light posts as Dongwon spoke. Dongwon figured Baekhyun would notice them, and brought it up before he could ask. Baekhyun could see both his name and Sehun's name printed on them, and he looked back over at Dongwon in surprise.

"The whole colony is really excited about it." Dongwon continued, smiling at his younger brother, "Everyone really idolizes you two. The colony threw a huge celebration when we announced Oh was alive."

Baekhyun reached over and grabbed onto Sehun's hand to squeeze it. He bit his lip as he leaned closer to whisper to him, "They're all going to be really shocked to hear the news."

Sehun smirked and nodded, remaining silent as Dongwon stared at them curiously.

The limousine pulled into a large gate, driving through a long stretch of cobblestone road surrounded by water canals and small fountains, the view of the castle easily seen in the distance. To make up for the lack of plant life, they had utilized water to enhance the beauty of their castle.

Sehun looked around at the majestic atmosphere and took a deep breath, it was starting to really sync in that he was engaged to a prince. Baekhyun noticed he was nervous and rubbed his hand to try and soothe him.

The first thing Sehun noticed once they were escorted inside the castle was a humongous chandelier hanging from the ceiling in the entrance way. He spent a moment staring at it before admiring the rest of the room, an expansive staircase was situated in front of them, and everything seemed to be covered in marble. Sehun swallowed deeply as he continued looking around, noticing many sculptures and expensive vases.

Suddenly a woman burst into the entrance from one of the adjacent rooms. She was dressed in a formal suit, with a long skirt and glittering jewelry. Sehun knew immediately upon looking at her, she must have been Baekhyun's mother.

She hurried towards Baekhyun, and Baekhyun smiled brightly as she wrapped her arms around him in an affectionate hug. Tears had already formed in her eyes as she spoke to him in shaking voice.

"My little baby..."

Baekhyun held onto her, also getting emotional as the smell of her perfume brought back so many fond memories. He spotted his father appear in the doorway behind her, and smiled at him warmly as he continued to hug his mother.

"Hi Mom."

Sehun smiled as he watched them, happy to see Baekhyun reunited with his family. The father eventually walked over and joined in their hug, wrapping his arms around both of them. They stayed together for a long moment, treasuring the embrace.

Baekhyun's mother pulled away and looked at him affectionately as she touched his cheek, "I dare say you're even prettier than your sisters."

Baekhyun laughed as she continued, wiping her own eyes delicately to remove the tears, "Don't tell them I said that, they'll be furious."

Baekhyun laughed again and nodded, "I won't."

The Queen's lip trembled, pausing as she stared into Baekhyun's eyes, "I haven't heard your voice in so long...I can't believe you're all grown up and a soldier now."

Baekhyun smiled at her tenderly, "Not anymore."

She took a deep breath and smiled, regaining her composure, "You're right, that terrible war is finally over, thanks to the both of you and the other Exo Pilots."

She continued smiling as she looked over at Sehun, and broke away from Baekhyun to approach him. She lowered herself into a curtsey, bowing her head to Sehun.

"It's an honor to meet you."

Sehun paused nervously before bowing to her, "...The pleasure is all mine."

Baekhyun smiled as he stared at them both, in slight awe that Sehun was actually meeting his mother. The Queen stood up straight and looked deeply into Sehun's eyes, a serious expression on her face.

"I heard you saved my son's life many times. I can't thank you enough."

Sehun nervously paused again, "...You don't need to thank me...I saved him because I care about him."

Their conversation was suddenly interrupted as Baekhyun's sisters rushed into the room, squealing with tears in their eyes. The Queen looked over at them with a stern expression, appalled that they would act that way.

"Calm down girls, remember yourselves."

They all suddenly stopped in their tracks, stiffening in fear from their mother's intense gaze. However, it didn't take long for a smile to grow on their faces as they looked over at Sehun.

"We're so glad you're alive!" Minji shouted first, quickly forgetting her manners after seeing Sehun again.

"We cried so much!" Sunhee emphasized.

"For days!" Yoomi added.

Baekhyun quietly laughed to himself as he watched his mother, the look on her face showing her disapproval.

"What has gotten into all of you?"

The sisters went quiet, pressing their lips together to hide their smiles. The Queen shook her head and let out a sigh before looking at Baekhyun and Sehun again.

"I'm sure Dongwon already informed you we will be holding a parade for you both. It will be held at the end of this week. Don't worry, you won't have to prepare a speech or anything. I want you to relax while you are here."

Baekhyun smiled, "Thank you Mom."

"Please go ahead and rest before dinner, I'm sure you're tired after your long flight."  
  
  


———————————

 

Baekhyun gave Sehun a tour of the castle, pointing out places where he held special memories. Sehun stared at everything in awe, he couldn't imagine what it was like to grow up in luxurious place like this.

"And this is my room."

Sehun smiled as Baekhyun opened the door, he was the most excited to see this part of the tour. They stepped inside together and Baekhyun paused as he looked around. Not one thing had been touched, it was exactly like the day he left it.

The furniture matched the rest of the house, ornate and expensive looking, but the decorations made a humorous contrast. There were tons of action figures of super heroes and various video game characters placed on almost every surface. A large television took up one of the walls, and every video game console that existed at that time was placed inside a cabinet underneath the television. Game controllers were hung on the wall like pieces of art, some of them featuring unique skins that were given to Baekhyun as a gift.

Sehun walked around slowly, carefully examining everything and asking Baekhyun what each item was. Just like everything else about Baekhyun, Sehun tried his best to memorize the information, treating it as an upmost priority. Baekhyun watched as Sehun picked up one of his figures and spun it around in his hand, looking at it's details.

"...It's so surreal to see you standing in here..."

Sehun smiled as he lowered the figure, placing it back down on the shelf.

"That sexy Exo Pilot I found on the beach is standing in my room..."

Sehun laughed a little, "You mean your fiancé."

Baekhyun laughed as well, "Don't even get me started on that."

Sehun went to Baekhyun and kissed his cheek before looking around at the room again. He noticed a picture taped on the window, and went over to examine it, pulling back the curtain to reveal a poster of a forest. Baekhyun came to stand next to Sehun, staring at the picture tenderly.

"I would pretend that was my view."

Sehun smiled as he turned to look at Baekhyun, "You don't have to pretend anymore."

Baekhyun nodded and stepped closer to Sehun to wrap his arms around him, hugging him tightly. Although their new home didn't exactly have a view of a forest, it was close enough. There were many trees in their neighborhood, and every window had a vision of green.

"No I don't. But I never imagined I'd share that view with such an amazing husband."

Sehun lowered his face to kiss Baekhyun, pressing their lips together a few times before stopping to admire him.

"Not just that view either, we're going to see the whole world together."

Baekhyun smiled warmly, nodding his head again. Sehun looked back over at the picture on the window, and reached out his hand to point at the text written on it.

"Let's go here next."

Baekhyun opened his mouth a little in happy surprise and leaped forward to give Sehun a joyful hug, "Ok!"  
  
  


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Sehun and Baekhyun returned downstairs once it was time for dinner. They stood next to the table with Baekhyun's other siblings, waiting for the King and Queen to enter the room. As they eventually came through the door, they were followed by a group of butlers carrying trays of food. Once the King and Queen were seated, everyone else sat down as well.

Baekhyun remembered hating these formal dinners, but now it was just kind of amusing for him, especially with Sehun there. It's not that Sehun didn't know how to use proper manners, after all he was a secret agent and was taught how to blend into high class events. Baekhyun was just used to seeing Sehun in a more rugged setting, definitely not surrounded by floral plates and tea cups.

As they began eating, the Queen expressed a few words about what a joy it was to have Baekhyun back home, and what an honor it was to have Sehun visit them as well. After her initial short speech, the family broke into small talk, exchanging stories about their day as they continued eating.

The longer the dinner went, the more nervous Baekhyun became. Eventually Sehun noticed Baekhyun stopped eating, and he stared at him in concern.

"...I have something I wanted to tell you all." Baekhyun suddenly announced.

Everyone paused, noticing the nervous tone in Baekhyun's voice. The Queen placed down her fork as she stared at Baekhyun's face.

"Go ahead dear."

Baekhyun stared down at his lap, his cheeks slowly burning red. Sehun realized what he wanted to say, and reached for Baekhyun's hand under the table, squeezing it gently.

Dongwon took a deep breath, also realizing what Baekhyun wanted to say, and started to prepare himself to help his little brother. However, he wasn't aware of just how intense Baekhyun's announcement was going to be.

"Sehun and I...are getting married."

There was a long moment of silence as Baekhyun's family stared at them both in shock, Dongwon actually carrying one of the more surprised expressions. The sisters quickly flipped through a mixture of emotions, sad that they no longer had a chance with Sehun, surprised to learn that Sehun and their brother were both gay, and ultimately glad that their little brother was so lucky. They slowly opened their mouths to express their joy, but before they could speak, they were cut off by their mother.

"But you only just graduated high school...You shouldn't even being thinking about that yet."

"Mother, I can help explain." Dongwon interjected.

The Queen looked over at Dongwon in surprise, "You knew about this?"

"It's not a normal situation." Dongwon quickly answered, "They-"

The Queen raised her hand to silence him, "Let me hear what Baekhyun has to say."

Everyone's attention suddenly shifted to Baekhyun, and Baekhyun took a deep breath, feeling Sehun squeeze his hand again. He paused for a short moment, trying to think of the most delicate way of putting it, "...We know this is the right path for us..."

"Still, can't it wait? You're so young."

"I don't want to wait."

The Queen sighed, staring at Baekhyun with concern, "...Baekhyun."

"I want to be married to him."

"There is still so much for you to learn. I don't want you to make a mistake."

"It's not a mistake." Baekhyun spoke in a shaking voice as he reached up and held onto Sehun's arm, "...We have a special bond...I know we're meant to be together..."

His mother remained silent as she stared at him, letting out a long exhaled breath. Although those words held significance to Sehun and Baekhyun, they seemed ridiculous to the Queen. She was convinced Baekhyun was acting irrational, and knew no words were going to change his mind at the moment, she could tell just by looking in his eyes.

She took her napkin off her lap and placed it onto the table with a sigh. Everyone watched as she stood up and left the room, quickly followed by the King who tried his best to retrieve her. Once they disappeared through the doorway, Dongwon momentarily glanced over at Baekhyun in concern before following his parents.

Dongwon found them in the hallway together, and urgently approached them, "Mother please, listen to me."

"I can't believe you didn't tell me about this. He is at a fragile age and prone to making mistakes."

Dongwon paused nervously, and his mother stared into his eyes, reading his expression. She let out another sigh, knowing the look on his face rather well.

"You really believe he's making the right choice?"

"I do, they have a unique story. Please, let me tell you."

The Queen nodded, "All right, go ahead."  
  
  


———————————

 

Once the others were gone, the sisters quickly got out of their seats and ran over to Baekhyun, pulling him up to stand and hug him.

"Congratulations!" Sunhee immediately shouted.

"Why didn't you tell us you were together?!" Minji scolded as she pinched Baekhyun's cheek.

Baekhyun laughed, "Because you guys are terrible at keeping secrets."

They all simultaneously pouted, not even trying to defend themselves. Even they realized it probably wouldn't last long until they accidentally spilled something about Baekhyun's relationship to their mother.

Sehun stood up as well, and the sisters all looked over at him as he came to stand next to Baekhyun. They still felt a patter in their heart from just looking at him, but they had no jealously towards Baekhyun. If anyone was going to have Sehun, they were happy it was their little brother, in fact it was probably best this way.

Baekhyun noticed Sehun come near him, and happily latched onto him, glad that he could finally be affectionate with him in front of his family. Sehun smiled and wrapped his arm around him, pulling him closer. A silly smile grew on the sister's faces as they watched them, giddy to see them so happy together.

"I can't believe we never noticed you were together. You must be really good at hiding it." Sunhee sighed.

Baekhyun smirked at them all mischievously, "You were all just too busy flirting with Sehun to notice."

Their faces quickly flushed as they smacked Baekhyun's arm together, "Don't say it out loud like that!"

Baekhyun laughed as he snuggled against Sehun, "It was really obvious, everyone knew."

Baekhyun's mother heard her son's laughter, and peeked through the open door at them as Dongwon finished explaining their story. She stared at Sehun's smiling face, and Baekhyun cuddled up close to him. Now that she knew the truth, she stared at them both with a heavy heart, feeling guilty for her previous words.

"How long have you been together?" Yoomi asked with a slight squeal.

There was a pause before Baekhyun eventually answered, "...It's kind of complicated."

"When did you get engaged?" Minji quickly switched the question.

"About a month ago." Baekhyun answered again.

"How did he propose?" Minji continued before Baekhyun barley even finished his sentence.

Baekhyun's mother stepped closer to the door to listen better, still keeping her eyes on them.

Baekhyun smiled warmly as he stared up at Sehun, "...Well...I have a list, a list of all the things we should experience in life. We spent a lot of time crossing off that list together, going to many different places in the process..."

Sehun smiled down at Baekhyun as he spoke, noticing that Baekhyun's eyes were starting to shimmer slightly.

"...So Sehun decided to make his own list, a list of all the places he felt like he should have kissed me. He took me to all the places we had fond memories together and took a picture of us...Then he took me to our new home...and that's when he proposed."

The sisters all let out a small sound, showing how touched they were by the story. The Queen suddenly pushed open the door at those words and entered the room again, approaching everyone with a determined expression. They looked over at her in surprise as she came up to them, unsure what she was thinking.

"I approve, I allow you to marry him."

There was a short pause before a bright smile grew on Baekhyun's face, and he ran over to hug his mother. She slowly wrapped her arms around him as well, her eyes quickly beginning to fill with tears.

"I just want you to be happy Baekhyun. You're my little baby."

"Thank you Mom."

Everyone smiled as they watched them, and Sehun let out a small sigh of relief. They held the embrace for a long moment before the Queen looked over at Sehun. She rubbed Baekhyun's back affectionally before she stepped away, going towards Sehun.

"Have you already told your family about this?"

Baekhyun's expression dimmed as he looked over at Sehun, already knowing the sad answer to that question.

"I don't have any family."

The mother stared at him sympathetically, "Oh, I'm so sorry dear."

She raised her hand to hold onto Sehun's arm, "You are a part of our family now."

Sehun paused as he thought about those words, and a small smile appeared on his face. He glanced over at Baekhyun and noticed him smiling as well. It was true, they really were his family now, and he couldn't have asked for a better one.  
  
  


———————————

 

That night Sehun and Baekhyun were shown to their rooms by the Queen herself. They went to Baekhyun's room first, and the Queen bid him goodnight as Sehun watched with a perplexed expression. Baekhyun smiled to himself, realizing Sehun must have thought they would be sharing a room.

Sehun remained silent about the situation as the Queen showed him to another bedroom. She paused in front of the door, and turned to face Sehun to speak with him.

"I'm glad to see that you are making Baekhyun so happy."

Sehun smiled and simply nodded, not really sure how to respond.

"It wouldn't be proper to share a room with him before you're wed...I just ask that you respect his values and not go any further for now."

Sehun pressed his lips tightly together to prevent the smirk that was desperately threatening to grow on his lips, thinking about just how far he had already gone with Baekhyun. He quickly nodded again, and the Queen smiled as she opened the door.

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight." Sehun bowed a little before stepping inside the room.  
  
  


———————————

 

Sehun snuck towards Baekhyun's door quietly, looking around cautiously before knocking on his door. Baekhyun quickly opened it, already standing by the door waiting for Sehun to eventually show up.

"Hi." Baekhyun smiled.

Sehun quickly stepped inside and shut the door, smirking back at Baekhyun, "Hi."

"You looked so confused." Baekhyun laughed, "Did my Mom say anything to you?"

Sehun continued smirking as he stared down at Baekhyun, "She told me to respect your values and not do anything to you."

Baekhyun smirked flirtatiously as he stepped towards Sehun, pressing his finger against Sehun's chest, slowly moving it downward to caress his skin, "She meant her values. Not mine."

Sehun moved his hands to grab onto Baekhyun's waist, picking him up effortlessly and bringing him over to the bed. He placed Baekhyun down gently, and Baekhyun smiled up at him as he bit on his lip.

Baekhyun watched as Sehun began undressing himself, and thoroughly enjoyed the vision of Sehun's body as it was quickly revealed to him. Sehun smiled as he glanced over at him, noticing the pleasure on Baekhyun's face. Again Baekhyun fell into a surreal moment, looking at Sehun standing in his old bedroom, even stripping in it. He had so many memories in this room, but it almost seemed like a separate life to him now. Still, Sehun was now sharing even this distant part of Baekhyun's past with him.

Once Sehun was naked, he crawled onto the bed, slowly pushing Baekhyun to lay down. He lowered his face to give Baekhyun a gentle kiss, and then pulled away to stare into his eyes.

"I love you so much Baekhyun."

Baekhyun took a deep breath, staring back into Sehun's eyes, "I love you so much Sehun."

Sehun paused for a long moment, and they remained silent as they simply enjoyed staring at each other. Sehun raised his hand to caress Baekhyun's cheek, rubbing it softly with his thumb. Eventually he lowered his face to kiss each of Baekhyun's eyes, and whispered to him softly.

"I love how your eyes are always so full of emotion."

Baekhyun smiled tenderly as Sehun moved his face to place another kiss on the tip of his nose, "I love how your nose crinkles up when you laugh."

Baekhyun's smile grew larger as he wiggled a little in joy, realizing Sehun was beginning a chain of compliments. Sehun smiled back at him before moving to kiss Baekhyun's cheek, "I love when your cheeks get rosy from the cold."

Sehun kept his face close as he slowly moved to kiss Baekhyun's lips. Baekhyun closed his eyes, enjoying the feeling of the kiss, and opened them again when Sehun pulled away.

"I love how you always kiss me with all your heart."

Baekhyun stared at Sehun affectionally as he moved his face again, getting close to his ear. Baekhyun giggled as Sehun kissed it, his breath tickling him slightly.

"I love how ticklish you are."

Sehun sat up, and raised one of Baekhyun's arms, kissing it as he continued speaking in a quiet voice, "I love when you wrap your small arms around me."

Sehun skimmed his lips across Baekhyun's skin to place another kiss on his hand, "I love how delicate and beautiful your hands are."

Tugging on his hand, Sehun pulled Baekhyun to sit up. He started to lift of Baekhyun's shirt, and Baekhyun raised his arms to make it easier for him. Sehun tossed it aside and gently pushed him to lay back down. He reached for Baekhyun's sweatpants, and began to pull them off along with his underwear. Once they were off, he lowered his face to kiss Baekhyun's leg.

"I love your legs wrapped around me too."

Baekhyun smirked as Sehun laid down on top of him, moving his face to place a kiss on Baekhyun's abs.

"I love that you're strong, knowing you'll always be my partner in everything."

Sehun slowly crawled up Baekhyun's body to kiss his chest, pressing his lips against him for a long moment. As he pulled away, he stared deeply into Baekhyun's eyes.

"I love how you share your heart with me. Nothing is more special to me than knowing I have a place in it."

Baekhyun inhaled a large breath, blinking a few times as he felt his eyes beginning to water. He raised his hand to place on Sehun's chest, caressing him slightly.

"Nothing is more special to me than opening up your heart..."

Sehun smiled as he lowered his face to kiss Baekhyun's lips again. They continued sharing loving kisses as their bodies pressed closer together, both of them tightly wrapping their arms around each other. They massaged each other's skin, caressing it in time with the slow movement of their lips.

Baekhyun rolled his head back as Sehun entered him, letting out a quite breath. Sehun continued placing kisses on his skin, traveling down his neck. As they moved together, Baekhyun opened his eyes to look around him, taking a moment to appreciate where they were. He held onto Sehun tightly, treasuring that they got to spend a moment like this in a place so precious to him.

Sehun was cherishing it as well, and never increased their speed so that they could make the moment last. The night was only filled with quiet whispers and passionate kisses, their love for each other felt in every movement.  
  
  


———————————

 

Whenever Baekhyun and Sehun wandered around the castle together, the guards would bow to Baekhyun, addressing him as "Your highness." Sehun would smile to himself, enjoying that he finally got to see Baekhyun being treated this way. He still couldn't believe that someone like him was going to marry royalty, but the fact that Baekhyun was a prince was something he actually enjoyed. Their difference in rank was appealing to him, realizing that Baekhyun would normally be untouchable.

Baekhyun and his family were able to show Sehun around the colony as well, bringing him to iconic locations and well known restaurants. Sehun enjoyed learning more about the place where Baekhyun grew up, and asked him many questions about the places they went. However, Baekhyun hardly remembered, and wasn't able to answer the majority of his questions. Dongwon would always step in, and they both ended up learning a new fact.

Occasionally during their visit, Baekhyun would slip away to spend some time with his mother, leaving Sehun alone. Baekhyun hated separating from him, but there was something he wanted to prepare for the parade that he didn't want Sehun to know about.

He would sit in the study with his mother, looking at an old book as he tried to memorize the words written in it. They would take breaks to have tea and chat with each other, and most of their discussions ended up being about Sehun. The Queen learned a good deal more about their relationship, and Baekhyun divulged the story of Sehun's past. He shared war stories as well, and over the time they spent together, the Queen began to develop an even deeper understanding of their love for each other.  
  
  


———————————

 

Sehun, Baekhyun and his entire family stood together on a large stage, surrounded by a giant crowd of citizens. They filled every available space on the street, all of them trying to get as close as they could to get a view of the royal family and the hero who ended the war. Cameras were pointing at them from every angle, and flashes of light constantly flickered as they took photographs.

The royal family was all dressed in formal attire, Baekhyun wearing a familiar ruffled suit and black bow tied around his neck. Sehun however wasn't dressed formally at all, the family wanted to portray him as the hero he was, and insisted that he wore his battle suit during the parade.

Sehun felt a little uncomfortable standing in front of such a large group of people, but he was eased to have Baekhyun standing next to him. They were positioned towards the front of the stage, standing with the King and Queen, and Baekhyun's siblings were standing behind them. The crowd's noise died down as the Queen started speaking into a standing microphone.

"Today we are gathered here to honor these two brave young men, Oh Sehun, and my own son, Byun Baekhyun. Although this small parade is not enough to thank them for their heroic deeds, let us show them how much we appreciate their efforts to gain peace. As they travel through the city, let your hearts be heard by them. Express all the happiness and praise you feel for them, cheer and scream with all the joy you are feeling. Make them understand just how much they have done for us all."

The audience cheered loudly, waving banners and signs as the Queen took a pause in her speech. Sehun and Baekhyun stared at them all in awe, still amazed to see their own names displayed so affectionally by the people.

"However, that is not the only reason we are gathered here today. I have another special announcement to make to you all."

The mob of dancing colors slowly grew still as the crowd quieted down to listen to the Queen's words again.

"My son, Byun Baekhyun, the youngest prince of our colony, and this outstanding young man, Oh Sehun, have recently become engaged."

Another loud outburst of cheering was heard from the crowd, even more wild and energetic than the last. The Queen allowed it to last for a long moment as she smiled at her son.

"Normally I would not approve of a marriage at such a young age. It does not reflect the morals and values our family upholds to our people. However, after much explanation, I have come to realize this is a very special case...True love is something we all desperately search for, something some of us only believe exits in fairytales. It has become difficult for people to grasp, that two individuals can be blessed with something so precious at such a young age. I cannot explain fate, but I can explain this. If anyone deserved to be so happy, I cannot think of a more worthy couple. Let us celebrate not only their sacrifices for our peace, but their union as well."

The volume of cheers once again increased from the previous eruption, and the crowd hyped itself into such a frenzy that it took a long while before the Queen was able to speak again. Sehun and Baekhyun looked into each other's eyes affectionally, a little in disbelief that all these people were cheering for their love.

"Although they will be married, Oh Sehun has no wishes of receiving a royal title. I respect his wishes...But I cannot leave it this way."

Sehun broke his gaze with Baekhyun to look over at the Queen curiously. They had discussed this previously, but she never mentioned anything else. He wasn't sure what the Queen was getting at. Baekhyun watched Sehun's confused expression, and bit on his lip to try and hide his smile.

"Only the Queen is allowed to bestow this honor upon a person, but I have allowed Baekhyun to act as my representative in this case."

Sehun quickly looked back over at Baekhyun in surprise, and watched as he stepped forward, switching his spot with his mother. A man approached Baekhyun with a long slender box, holding it out in front of him. Baekhyun reached inside the case, and raised a small sword. Upon it's reveal, the crowd burst into more loud cheering. Baekhyun smiled as he gently held onto the sword, reciting the words he had spent the previous few days memorizing.

"In days gone by, there existed many orders of knighthood which recognized the skill and honor of their members. In the service of their King, and in the defense of the noble ideals of chivalry embodied in their Queen, did these orders achieve their exalted rank. The Society created the Order of Chivalry, which consists equally of the Knights and Masters of Arms, to recognize outstanding martial achievement and the attainment of those qualities and abilities which are a mark of a Peer."

Sehun's eyes widened as he listened to him, coming to realize what was happening. Baekhyun turned to look at Sehun with a delicate expression, pausing for a moment to admire his fiancé.

"The Crown now calls Oh Sehun to come before this Court and Company."

The Queen whispered quietly to Sehun, realizing he was probably a little startled and lost, "Go ahead, kneel before him."

Sehun swallowed deeply and slowly stepped forward, kneeling in front of Baekhyun. Baekhyun smiled as he watched Sehun lower his head.

"I am able to affirm that Oh Sehun is a chivalrous gentleman whose achievements on the field of honor have been matched by his courtesy and concern for all people."

As Baekhyun continued reciting the ancient ceremony, he held the sword out in front of himself, tapping it on each of Sehun's shoulders.

"By right of arms, I do dub you with our sword, Solis, and by all that you hold sacred, true, and holy... Once for Honor... Twice for Duty... Thrice for Chivalry... I dub thee...Sir Oh Sehun!"

An explosion of cheering came from the crowd as Baekhyun finished his words. Baekhyun smiled at Sehun tenderly as he lifted his head, looking into Baekhyun's eyes.

"Arise, Sir Oh Sehun." Baekhyun couldn't help but smirk as he commanded Sehun.

Sehun stood up, continuing to stare into Baekhyun's eyes. Baekhyun placed the sword in his two palms, stretching out his arms to Sehun.

"Accept this sword, which shall symbolize your prowess at arms. Remember well: that the sword of the Chivalry should be drawn only in defense of the realm, or of those weaker than yourself. Wear it with care. Wield it with mercy."

Sehun stared down at the sword and took a deep breath. He held out his arms, and allowed Baekhyun to place the sword in his own hands. More cheering could be heard as Sehun held up the blade, examining the decorative hilt.

A man approached Baekhyun again with another box, much smaller than the last with an elegant red velvet incasing. Baekhyun lifted a pin from the box, and Sehun noticed it was the royal family's coat of arms. Baekhyun stepped towards Sehun again, raising his hands to pin the crest on Sehun's chest pocket. As Baekhyun finished fastening it, he glanced up into Sehun's eyes, smiling at him as he whispered to him quietly.

"My brave knight Sehun."

Sehun smiled back at him as he moved away, and they continued staring at each other as the Queen took the center stage. She raised her arms as she shouted into the microphone with an excited voice.

"Let the celebrations begin!"

Fireworks suddenly burst in the sky, and loud music began playing throughout the entire colony. Baekhyun leapt forward to kiss Sehun, and Sehun wrapped his arms around him as they held it for a long moment, the vision of fireworks raining down behind them. It became a famous photograph amongst Baekhyun's people, and another memory to add to Sehun and Baekhyun's precious collection.  
  
  


———————————

 

"No...move it a little to the left." Baekhyun spoke slowly as he analyzed the wall in front of him.

"Here?" Sehun asked as he nudged his hands slightly.

"Yeah, that looks right." Baekhyun smiled, coming over to Sehun to mark the spot with a pencil.

Sehun moved the frame away and placed it on the floor. Then he grabbed a hammer and a small nail to start tapping it into the wall. Once he was done he picked up the frame again and hung it on the nail, stepping away to see how it looked. Baekhyun grabbed onto him, hugging him as they admired the collage together.

The wall was covered in small framed photographs, each one of them a picture of them kissing in a memorable location. They were taken all over the world, not necessarily iconic places, but spots that were special to them. Although it was already an impressive collection, they still had innumerable places to visit, and the wall had plenty of room for more photos.

Baekhyun snuggled closer to Sehun, kissing his cheek happily, and Sehun smiled as he kissed Baekhyun's lips in response. They sat down to continue staring at the wall together, snuggling close as both their eyes landed on the same photo.

The frames all branched out from one large center photo, the picture of their wedding day. It was the one they most often ended up staring at, and always brought a smile to their face.

"Where should we go next?"

Baekhyun smiled brightly and kissed Sehun before he suddenly hopped off the couch, "Let's pick it at random."

"Random?" Sehun asked as he laughed a little.

Baekhyun pulled on his arm, yanking him off the couch as he brought him over to a different wall. A large map was hanging on it, with pins stuck in each place they had visited together.

"Spin me around."

Sehun laughed again, "What?"

"Just spin me." Baekhyun giggled.

Sehun started spinning him, and Baekhyun closed his eyes. When Sehun stopped, Baekhyun stepped towards the map, his movement wobbly from his dizziness, and held out his hand to place a finger on the map. As he pressed it down, he opened his eyes with a large smile, and looked over at Sehun happily.

"Here!"


End file.
